From the Ashes of Guilt
by Light Side
Summary: Grief and guilt suffocated them, like boulders around their necks they sunk together in an ocean of despair. All they have to cling to is each other can love be forged from the darkest of sins? Set in ORAS, delta episode. Steven Stone/May pairing. Deals with a major character death in the first chapter.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon, nor am I recieving money for this fic. Warnings are in summary.**

There was nothing natural about the rain that fell that day of that she was sure; it seemed to be more fitting than this gathering was. She knew Milotic must be somewhere nearby; she was after all his favorite pokemon. He had cherished her and in return she showed unconditional love and loyalty; it was a beautiful sight to see the two working so in sync with each other. Now, however, it just piled another layer of sadness on top of her; working its way to join the despair that was sinking into her bones. She stared emptily and almost unseeingly at the casket before her; it held the body of a man that deserves nothing less than to be alive. She felt a cry of grief travel up her throat before strangling it into silence; instead it wrapped around her heart and squeezed painfully.

How could she grieve, when it was partially her fault? What right did she have? She struggled to even show her face here, but she knew it would be an ultimate show of disrespect if she didn't. It wasn't that she didn't care, but that she didn't think she had the right to grieve, to say goodbye. All her choices had led to his death, every step she took was a step towards his untimely and gruesome demise. She'd never forget the sight that met her when she had went to Sky Pillar to join Zinnia in her quest. No one, not even Steven, knew of her intentions when going there. Perhaps if she had just told him, or Zinnia, anyone, he'd be here now. She didn't though, she was too caught up in it all. She wanted to both play hero once more and keep Steven.

Ever since they had been called to the Mossdeep Space Center things hadn't been right between her and the previous Pokemon League Champion. He had told her about his plan to use the ultimate weapon for mankind's own good. Sure it seemed all pretty on the outside, using it for a "good" purpose instead of war, however underneath it was still the same thing. Taking the life-force and energy of pokemon to fuel our own salvation. What right did we have? Sure they could argue that if they didn't then the meteor would wipe everyone from existence, including pokemon. There had to be another way; and of course, there was. Zinnia presented it. Steven didn't seem to understand, or perhaps didn't want to understand. He was set on doing it his way, and she was guilty in helping him collect what he needed to do so; even when she knew it was wrong. What choice did she have though? Who wanted to die?

So she went along until Zinnia had shown her a way. The strange girl that made everyone in the room uncomfortable and on edge, managed to get through to her but when Steven dismissed her and went directly back to stopping her, she knew it was pointless to argue with him. It always was, why would now be any different? They didn't have time to sit and argue it out; they had to act fast. So when Steven had told her to go to Wallace it was perfect. It was just a bit of misleading; no one had to know that while she did want to go after Zinnia it wasn't to stop her but to aid her. So she went, and she spoke to Wallace. When he left she looked at her map and cursed herself for failing to travel to Pacifidlog Town, she'd have to travel on the back of her Swampert; not that she didn't enjoy surfing on her beloved buddy but it wasn't very quick. She went anyway, it took a while. It took too goddamn long in fact, for when she reached there all she could do was scream. Her blood seem to curdle inside of her as it went cold, and her body expelled all oxygen as if she had been punched in the gut. Her very toes and fingers curled with the horror of all that red so out of place against the white suit and teal hair.

She didn't know how she managed to hobble over to Wallace's broken body but she did, only falling when she was at his side. Her shaking fingers turned his lifeless head towards hers, only to be met by his cold and empty blue eyes. He was dead. She could register nothing else but the fact that Wallace was dead. It was like everything in existence faded away and all that was left was his dead eyes, once so full of mischief and life, were hollow and dim. His body was so bloody and torn it made her want to scream all over again but no sound could escape her throat. Her mind was on a loop, nothing more than a broken record playing: He's dead, He's dead, He's dead; over and over again non-stop.

She wasn't sure how long she had sat there out of her mind and heart-shattered; but she was jolted out of it when a hauntingly shrill cry erupted from the water on her left. She whipped her head around to find Milotic staring at her, the expression on the pokemon's face was agonizing. It was like another knife in the heart. She staggered up as she looked at his beloved pokemon, "I have to keep going." She said in a voice devoid of any emotion, "It's the only way." Milotic dipped her head towards Wallace and gave another cry. "He's gone. He's dead. There's nothing to be done." She hated it, hated the way she said it, hated that it had to be said, that it was true.

She watched as Milotic slithered over to Wallace, it's beautiful large head gently nudging Wallace's side. Once, twice, up to five times. Each time faster and harder as if her trainer was only asleep and could be awoken by her desperate need for attention. She watched, feeling more and more detached from the situation, from her very body; as she wondered how many times it would take before Milotic realized her trainer was never going to wake up. Twenty-Seven. Twenty-seven nudges, his body had moved a foot but he hadn't sprang back to his feet with the grace he had always shown.

No, instead, she was left reeling as Milotic gave a shriek of utter despair, it was deafening. It was like shards of glass were being driven into her body as the creatures grief washed over her. She shook it off, "I have to go on. It has to be done." It had to be, or what did Wallace die for? And that's when she first heard the voice in her head, it whispered _"He needn't have died at all. He died unsealing this chamber for you, so you could play hero while deceiving them all, he died so your perfect plan to save yourself could be successful. He died for nothing."_ She shook her head. She couldn't stop now, he was already dead, she couldn't bring him back. Even though she gagged when stepping over his body she did. She stepped into Sky Pillar for the first time; and for once she didn't give a shit about what was on the walls or her surroundings or capturing the many pokemon surrounding the temple. She wanted to get in and get out.

She numbly walked along, stepping over the rubble around her, spraying repels in the faces of all pokemon who dared to look at her. She couldn't wrap her mind around the fact that he was dead, or what she was doing, what was going on. It all felt so far away, in another life, why should she care? Her mind searched for a reason, the teal hair soon becoming silver in her mind. And she knew in that split second that the body out front could very well be Steven in a few hours if she didn't hurry up and do this. The idea of losing them both was unbearable, it would be the final shove over the cliff into an endless dark pit of insanity.

The thought of Steven strengthened her; even if she was going behind his back and directly against his wishes she knew this was what needed to be done to save them all without causing the death of many pokemon. She just wondered though, wondered if she'd trade the pokemon for Wallace. She knew he'd never want that but selfishly she think she would. Although than they'd all have to live with guilt, Wallace wouldn't be able to cope with that horrible knowledge. She'd be damning him to a life of guilt. She didn't know what was worse seeing him broken and dead outside as the waves callously washed over his body as if he was mere trash discarded into the water as his warm blood turned cold and joined the waves or watching him slowly wither into a self-hating depression that killed the light in his eyes. He'd never be the same.

She still had Steven, all of it now, was for Steven. There was nothing else for it but to make sure no one else she loved died and that Wallace's death meant something. She blinked back her tears that suddenly formed and saw Zinnia waiting by the ladder. The young draconian was talking but she wasn't listening, it was like a roaring in her ears. Seeing Wallace like that was a horrifying shock, she didn't stop to think who had done it, but there was only one culprit. Zinnia's Grandmothers voice echoed in her head, "She'll stop at nothing, and she'll destroy anything that gets in her way." It had been her. She had killed him, had brutalized him in the most heinous of ways. By the looks of it it had been a long and painful death. How much had Wallace had to suffer before finally dying?

She felt a hurricane of hatred and anger rise up in her, creating havoc and chaos in her chest as her eyes narrowed. Fury was pumping through her, her own heartbeat echoing in her head. Nobody could ever hear Wallace's anymore. She felt a bitterness rise in her throat, causing it to ache as she blinked and swallowed it all back. She had to get through this. She had to do this. Though she wanted to vomit at the prospect of working alongside someone who had murdered one of her closest friends and mentor; she didn't. She had to keep going. It was all the was left for her. She didn't care anymore, so long as Steven was safe, she didn't care about anything more. Wallace was dead, Steven was facing death, her life didn't matter. Nor did Zinnia's.

She followed the young girl up a few ladders, blankly staring at the girl; she found it disconcerting that the girl never even mentioned taking the life of such a beautiful man. Of all the people on earth that deserved to live Wallace was on top of the list. He brought something to the world not many could or did. All she brought was death and grief; and yet she walked around like she was some know-it-all, holier-than-thou, better-than-you goddess. She could feel her face redden but she pushed it all down again and refocused. When she stepped out onto the roof, or altar whatever she called it, she didn't bother looking around. Gone was her curiosity and sense of wonder, gone like Wallace was. She watched in disinterest and emotional exhaustion as the Legendary Beast Rayquaza was called forth, it certainly made a grand entrance but she hardly took note. It was for this reason that Zinnia was the first to notice something was wrong, and was the first to put the puzzle together as her bag glowed brilliantly. As she walked towards the creature to entice it into a battle in order to win its allegiance, she hoped so much that it would just tear her to shreds instantly. It didn't however and she sent out her beloved Charizard to do battle. She was surprised how easily Rayquaza seemed to give in.

It was almost disappointing, she was expecting and almost hoping for a fight. She had so much anger she needed to get out but as she stared at the pokeball in her hands she felt pent up aggression turn to a hopeless nothingness. As she released the beast from the ball and jumped on its back she knew it was almost over and she could rest soon. What happened next seemed to go by in a flash. The ancient dragon was fast and strong, soon the meteor was in pieces and Deoxys hidden away in its depths surged forward in an angry plight. She merely threw a Master ball at it, it didn't resist. So much for the power of the legendaries. One easily defeated by an ordinary pokeball and the other fallen to a man-made creation. It was pitiful. Although one could argue how pathetic they were if they were nearly destroyed by something so powerless to resist their own design.

Usually she'd be excited and happy about catching any pokemon, let alone a legendary, but everything seemed meaningless now. What did it all matter when Wallace would always be dead? She barely registered the beautiful shining stars, the planets that gleamed in their orbit, the way Rayquaza's body stretched as it flew through jet streams to get back to earth. She could imagine the joy in the Space center, the meteor was gone and they had to do nothing to achieve it. Wallace just had to die, but they were all safe, yay! She soon felt the ground beneath her feet once more and angrily cast off the magma suit. Her duty was done, and now all that was left for her was the anger and pain. She stared at the girl before her, the one whose hands were stained with the blood of her beloved mentor. Zinnia seemed pleased she had been successful, but soon May would wipe that look off her face. She'd turn it into one of pure agony just like Wallace's face had to be when he died. Afraid, alone and in agony. It wasn't right that he died that way, or at all. It tore at her heart and mind.

The rage kept boiling up as the picture of his dead body came forth in her mind, "You did it! I knew you could May!" She reached into her bag and released her pokemon, they were all dear to her. Their bond so close they looked at her with love and trust in their eyes as they awaited her orders. Zinnia seemed surprised but she just chuckled, "You already beat me!" But nonetheless the unsuspecting fool released her pokemon. May's eyes searched the dragons before her, each one had a bit of blood on it; it did nothing but make her blood boil more. Both groups of Pokemon simply stared at each other, until May's voice sparked an outright war. "Kill."

Charizard simply nodded and flew up high, swampert looked back but obeyed, Lucario got in stance. She could tell they were surprised at the order but none of them would disobey.

It was Zinnia who couldn't comprehend what she was hearing, she was utterly shocked, and she yelled, "Defend yourselves by any means possible!" Her face twisting into a determined and fierce scowl. May's face was cold, though the heat of the fury in her chest was reaching the point of implosion. She didn't even bother to watch the battle, she knew her pokemon were stronger and better than Zinnia's even with type disadvantages. It was only when all of Zinnia's pokemon were fainted with her own pokemon standing over them that she dared to walk across the battlefield. Zinnia raced forward but stopped, who would she protect of her six pokemon?

She felt the young draconian's eyes on her, they were a satisfying mixture of anger, confusion, fear and desperation. Perfect. She could only imagine how scared Wallace must have been, how much agony he had been in, how all alone with nothing but the eyes of his enemy staring down at him with such disdain as he died. Her jaw clenched as Zinnia shouted, "What're playing at? What're you doing!? Call them off!"

An impossible smile broke upon her face, but it was cold and depraved. She didn't think it was possible to smile just then but she did. "Oh no, I don't think I will. You're going to meet the same end you brought Wallace to my dear, did you think I'd let you get away with killing someone so dear to me?" She was a few feet from Zinnia but as the girl opened her mouth May pounced. She landed hard on Zinnia's chest, she grabbed the black hair of her nemesis and drove the girl's head into the ground over and over until the body beneath hers stopped struggling. The draconian wasn't dead or unconscious, just dazed, exactly how she wanted her. She threw her on her stomach and sat on Zinnia's spine, grabbing the girls' hair she pulled Zinnia's head up and made her watch as her pokemon were literally torn apart in a bloody mess. First went the legs and arms, the wings and any other appendages than the abdomen was torn to shreds. Zinnia was sobbing and screaming. Good. She deserved it.

"Clean yourselves up." She called to her pokemon. They disappeared over the edge to the ocean, Charizard flying up high and fast, shaking off the blood. The carnage that lay before her was almost complete, she took out a knife. It was almost satisfying to hear the girls' heart broken sobs. Yes she had broken the draconian completely. She wouldn't kill her though, no. It'd be too easy, too fast and too good for Zinnia. No, she knew once a Draconians' duty was done they were done as well. She smiled, but she'd make sure she'd never forget this day. She'd make her ugly, and paralyze her. She most likely would die very slowly on top of the tower or some place else; but if she survived she'd never be normal. She'd be paralyzed and ugly. All alone and cursed til the day she died. She'd be useless and all that pride of hers would be gone; all Zinnia would know is shame, loneliness and hopelessness.

The girl's eyes stared up at her with venom and pain, but it meant nothing to her. She drove her knife into the spine of the girl, not fast or hard but simply chipped away at it, severing bits of it completely. She could remember the anatomy lessons her old professor taught her when he realized she was obsessed with the human body. She knew just where to injure the spine to make Zinnia permanently paralyzed without death. When the Draconian went limp she knew she was successful. She wiped the sweat off her face, her muscles aching; people never took into account how tough the human body was. Exhaustion was taking her over but she had one last thing to do before she had to face what lie beneath them. It only took a few seconds to carve up the girls' face with her knife. Blood was every place, the entire altar seemed stained with it but it didn't phase her. She stood shakily looking down at her handiwork and simply turned away. It was over but as she stared at the ladder down she'd rather stay and face what she had done. That was easier than going back to Wallace. She knew she had to though; there was no other choice. With a heavy heart, exhausted mind, and feet that dragged on the floor she descended ladder after ladder.

And finally she was in front of her dead mentor once more. She felt tears cloud her vision at the thin body beneath hers. His eyes just as lifeless as before, his body just as limp. It was like a dull rusted knife being slowly driven into her heart. She fell to her knees beside him, finally letting the tears fall even as she clasped his cold wet hands. Her throat swelled with sobs, and she let them out in an anguished howl, "Please…." She whimpered, as if begging would bring him back. "Please, I'm so sorry. Wallace I'm sorry. I never meant...I'm sorry." She held his hand to her chest as she sobbed. She could see the outline of Milotic on the opposite side of him by the water curled up to his side, but nothing past that. She just wanted to go back, go back to a time where everything was fine, before she even got involved with it all. It was too late.

She sat there for quite a while just staring down at her mentor, the man she had confided in, had turned to in all her times of need. She never could with Steven, she had had such a crush on the silver-haired man that sometimes it rendered her speechless. Wallace though, was different, he was more than a friend, he was the closest thing she ever had to a father figure, or perhaps an uncle. He had been the one that was most concerned for her when she went into the Cave of Origin to fight Groudon, the one that spurred her on to greater achievements but was there to pick up the pieces or heal her when she failed or needed him to. He never would be again, she'd never hear his laugh or see his smile, he'd never do the million things he loved. It was over for him, completely over; when it wasn't his time, he wasn't ready to go. She knew it was partially her fault and she hated herself completely for it. She'd never forgive herself.

She noticed the tide shifting and washing over one side of him, she got to her feet, swaying almost, "Lucario please." She called out, it was amazing how fast a pokemon got to you, "Help me with him." with her pokemon's help they carried his body closer to the entrance, far away from the water. Charizard stared down at her before using his flames and body to dry wallace off. She stroked the fire pokemon's snout, "Thank you." She was so lost in her own world that she forgot another existed; she was reminded however when her pokenav went off, she could hear it ringing through static. She breathed in, and answered, she winced as she heard the celebrations in the background, but was grateful to hear Steven's voice come over the strained link. "You did it May! The meteor is gone, you must tell me what you did! I am so proud." The words meant nothing to her but his voice was everything to her. She shut her eyes, she didn't realize how alone she had felt until his voice washed over her. It was a small comfort to her ever-growing agony but it was addictive and she needed more.

She hesitated though, she knew Wallace and Steven were best friends, how could she tell him? She knew she'd have to be the one to break the news. "Steven." She said weakly in a small exhausted voice that betrayed the fact that she had been crying.

"May? What is it?" His voice was suddenly filled with concern, the noise of the party behind him faded, "Are you okay? Are you hurt? Where are you?"

"I'm...I'm okay." She said, she was panting though as her heart raced and she felt breathless. She bit her lip gently, "It's not me Steven. I'm at Sky Pillar still, by the entrance. Steven...Wallace is dead." She felt a sob erupt from her throat at the revelation, it was as if it was making it true and permanent by speaking it to someone else. No longer could she pretend that he wasn't or that there was a chance he'd come back.

There was silence on the line for a few seconds, before it went dead, and she felt the tears fall once more. Hours had passed since he had died, his body was suffering from the elements. She took out a blanket from her backpack and covered him up. His body seemed so much smaller beneath the massive fleece blanket. She sat, leaning back on the cliff, and just silently cried for everything lost. She knew Steven would be on his way soon, and sure enough not even ten minutes later he jumped on the ground. The tall older man stared down at the blanket, she gritted her teeth as he lifted the edge of it to peek inside; as if he had to confirm that it really was his best friend. The sight that met his eyes, made him fall to his knees. She grabbed the blanket out of his hands, shaking her head she laid it back on the ground, "Don't look."

She could see the pain, disbelief and agony in Steven's eyes, it ripped her eyes out. She nervously sat next to him, "Zinnia did this." He said quietly. She nodded, "Yes, he was...gone by the time I got here. I couldn't stop though, it needed to be done." She felt long fingers wrap around hers, "I know." He said softly, "Where is she?"

Her eyes hardened and she looked away, "I don't know she disappeared. She was injured, I don't think she'll survive." She lied. She could feel his eyes on her, but she didn't meet them. "Call your pokemon back." He said in a hard voice. She sighed, this was like Steven. To shut down and turn away from anything that evoked strong emotion in him. She took out her pokeballs and in a matter of seconds they all came back. She pulled out her flute and with a simple tune Latios flew towards them. When she turned back she wasn't surprised to see that Steven had Wallace's body cradled against him in a bridal hold. She climbed on Latios behind Steven. She never thought it would go down like this, bringing back Wallace's body was almost too much to bear. She guided Latios to Mossdeep, but felt completely at a loss as to what to do now.

She just numbly followed Steven into the house, he laid Wallace on the couch. She wanted to cry, but she couldn't, she wouldn't let herself anymore. Not when the man before her had known Wallace much better and much longer than she. He was leaning over the sink when suddenly his fist came down on the wooden countertop, the glasses shaking and clinking together. His arm swept out fast and hard shoving it all onto the ground. She froze, never before had she seen him lose control of his emotions. His shoulders tensed for a bit as a ringing silence fell. He slowly turned around and said, "Forgive me May, things aren't as they should be right now."

She nodded, no they weren't.. Everything was spinning out of control.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Do not own pokemon, or any of the characters, am not making money off of this.**

 **Author's' notes: Thank you for all your kind words and reviews, I hope you like this chapter :)**

The next few days had passed in such a blur she could barely remember them; the night it happened was nearly a sleepless one. Even though they made the pretense of sleep with Steven going to his room and changing into his boxers and t-shirt and she laying on the couch opposite from where Wallace lay, neither slept. Instead she had spent the night refusing to look in the direction of the body only feet away and trying to forget everything. As if she could erase her life and all the bad decisions she made and everything would be okay again. She remembered when morning broke and they had an unspoken agreement that Steven would use his spectacular skills in shutting his emotions off to inform the people who needed to be while she made the preparations. She was paying for the funeral out of her own funds, she had collected enough over time to easily select only the best for Wallace. He'd be laid to rest in the bit of grass behind his gym and in front of the Cave of Origin.

And days later they stood with the rain pouring down on them, staring at the casket that held their friend inside. Milotic was swimming nearby, she could see the ripples it made as it moved in a circle around the small island. No one doubted the genuine grief of the pokemon, it formed in raindrops and thunder. They didn't mind the water though, it seemed to be a relief, a way to be closer to Wallace who was long gone. As the rain beat down on them she listened to the healer's words. They were dull and droning, but everything he said was true. There wasn't a large crowd but not many had been given an invite, Wallace had wanted it small. It was beautiful though just as he would have wanted. She was afraid to come, she knew there were those that blamed Steven and her for Wallace's death. They were right, it was their fault; but it didn't help.

When they had arrived it seemed people were much more forgiving of him because they had watched Wallace and him grow up together. They knew how close they were and how much they had loved one another; that Steven would never want to harm his friend. For her, however, it was the opposite. No one knew her in relation to Wallace, she was an outsider who had played a part in his death. No amount of soothing words from Steven or tears could stop their words, _"How dare you come?", "What makes you think you're welcome here?", "Here to gloat over your victory Champion?"._

She just kept her eyes on the ground and walked away from them all but deep down they hurt like barbed wire sinking deeper and deeper into her. They were right but she couldn't help herself, she wanted to say goodbye to Wallace. She hoped he was here somehow, maybe she could catch one last glimpse of him, but as the service ended and most people departed all that was left was the family Wallace left behind and the two of them. They watched in a suffocating silence as inch by inch he was lowered into the ground. A panic built in her stomach the lower he got, it was irrational she knew but she couldn't help it. Her fingers gripped tightly onto the sleeve of Steven's blazer. When he shook it off roughly it was like a crippling blow. Her head lowered more, tears flooding her eyes. She winced when the metal clanged violently as the coffin reached the bottom and the machinery lifted itself out empty-handed. Soon dirt was being shovelled on top. It took an hour but it was done. He was officially buried.

It was over. She turned away quickly and all but ran out of there. She couldn't stand one more minute in that place, in that city. She knew she'd never go back and she didn't want to. There was nothing left there. She called out her Charizard and jumped on its back, her arms wrapping around its neck tightly. As it sprang into the air she looked back to see Steven staring up at her but she didn't feel anything. He didn't want anything to do with her, so why should she care if she left him behind. "Faster. Just take me away from here." She whispered to her companion.

They seemed to fly forever, and she wondered if she could swoop into Heaven to see Wallace; if ever she needed someone to confide in it was now, but that was the cruel irony of the world, isn't it? Her father wasn't an option, too busy with his own work, Brendan would never understand and his attention span was two minutes top. And Steven….he didn't seem to want to even be touched by her. His small rejection at the burial stung more than she expected it to, perhaps because she already downtrodden and vulnerable. She only had him to reach out to and he just shook her off like she was some annoying insect. She looked down at the earth below them as Charizard seemed to stop flying upwards and was just gliding, he was large and broad, she easily lay down on him with no fear of falling off and so she did. Flat on her stomach her arm dangling down the pokemons side the other stroking Charizards' side. At least she still had her pokemon.

They had always brought her much comfort, of course it was nothing like a human who could wrap you up in their arms and anchor you to a better reality but it was something. She enjoyed the warmth coming from her pokemons body, it lulled her to sleep. It took her awhile to dream as her body caught up on the rest she missed, but when she did it was just a horrific nightmare.

 _She was sitting in his kitchen sipping on some hot chocolate he made her like he often did. It was almost a tradition. She was scraped up badly this time, she had been running around in the Cavern on Victory road-It was her favorite cave after all and some of the most powerful trainers were there. She enjoyed going through it over and over; many thought this would be boring and would get old but the more familiar you got with something the more the oddities and intricacies you might have missed the first time begin to pop out at you. She hadn't been paying attention where she was going, she saw a pretty rock and went over to inspect it thinking Steven might like it when she fell into a hole that led to a deeper level. She tried to grab onto the ladder but merely hurt her arm in doing so. She landed hard on a bumpy hard surface, her back exploding in pain. She gave a small cry but she soon realized that what she landed on was not the ground but an angry Rhyhorn who charged at her. So dishevelled she didn't have time to call out her Swampert, instead she got up and tried to move out of the way but she wasn't fast enough and the wild pokemons horn gouged her leg._

 _She pulled herself onto a ledge and called out Gardevoir, she cried, "Teleport me to Wallace!" Grabbing onto her psychic and fairy pokemon she felt herself engulfed in a rush of magic before landing on the grass before Wallace's home in Sootopolis. She limped to the door and knocked. Now she was sipping hot cocoa as he cleaned and bandaged her wounds. She smiled through his tsk'ing and lecture, he couldn't believe how careless she had been. "That man will be the death of you. I love him but he's not good for you." He said quietly, she sighed at the conversation she knew well. However when he looked up it was with those same empty and hollow eyes his body had held at Sky Pillar, "Kind of like being ripped to pieces by a horde of dragons wasn't good for me May. Was he worth my death?" She felt a warmth on her feet and realized with horror it was a huge pool of blood. His fingers dug into her arms as he shook her, "WAS HE?" He screamed as blood frothed out of his mouth._

She awoke with a jolt, forgetting that she was on the back of her pokemon miles above the land and sea. Her balance teetered precariously as she fought to find something to grab hold of. Her beloved Charizard dipped and moved side to side when he realized what was happening but her scream of terror upon waking had startled it and he was diving directly into a wild horde of Braviary's while also trying to make sure she didn't fall. Her heart gave a lurch, in one way she was frightened of death but the other knew she deserved it and she could finally hopefully see Wallace, even if it was just for a moment and speak to him one last time. She knew if her beloved pokemon flew into the birds in the panicked state he was in it would be bad. Braviary's were known to fight to the death for each other and there was a horde of ten of them. She took one last final breathe and said, "Dodge them!" She knew to do that he'd have make a sharp and fast turn, it would dislodge her, even if it didn't its turn upward or downward were and those were the only options. He growled back at her, "Do it! Don't disobey me boy. Not now!"

Her heart sped up as she felt his body shift, the wind blasting at her, her grip was slipping. And when he turned upwards it finally dislodged her. She could see the disgruntled horde of Braviary's chasing him; he was fighting brilliantly just like she knew he always could. She smiled up at him even as she plummeted to the ground. She hoped being in the pokeballs would make it so her other pokemon didn't get injured. The wind and air turned her around and around recklessly. She couldn't believe how fast she was falling and how much closer the water was coming. Water, of course it'd be water. "Wallace." She smiled. The air felt good even if it was a bit painful, kind of like the pain of having a knot twisted out of your muscles. She felt free, exhilarated and at peace. If only she knew how much fun skydiving was before this. She could smell the saltiness of the sea below her, she was getting so close, she opened her arms towards it, adrenaline pumping through her as she rushed towards the water.

Suddenly the large expanse of blue in front of her eyes was obscured by a large blue and white moving object, she frowned just before impact. It knocked the breath painfully out of her. Her stomach, no her entire body ached like pins and needles. It was like hitting jagged rocks, and if it wasn't for the fact that she knew she'd die if she passed out she'd have done so but she clung to the last remnants of consciousness left in her. After a few moments the pain subsided to a manageable level and she got a better look at her savior. It was Latios, of course she should have known, the psychic legendary would come to her in times of need even if stored away in a PC box.

She sighed and relaxed against the back of Latios, she let out a hoarse chuckle, but she clung to the pokemons wings and neck. "S'good to see you." She said as the pokemon drifted slowly and gently wary of any injuries to her body. She could hear Charizard not far behind them and relaxed even more. At least he was safe and not lost. She rarely kept her pokemon in their balls. They were the strongest ones in Hoenn as of right now and still getting stronger. No one would mess with them. They always seemed to know where she was anyway, as if they had a psychic bond with one another. Only on special occasions did she ever refuse to let them out, such as a funeral but she always carried them with her. She learned through the last few years that trouble could find you even in the safest most demure spots. It was never long before another human tried to destroy the planet they wanted for their own.

Latios huffed and rolled it's eyes as it shot forward, she groaned and clung tighter. She didn't know where to go. She couldn't very well go home could she? Nor did she feel like going back to Ever Grande City to her room in the tower. It was for this reason that she let Latios decide, she was surprised however when Charizard went back into his ball of his own volition but what didn't shock her was Latios letting her off in front of Steven's house. She looked up at the pokemon accusingly, "Of all the places, the one I wanted to avoid most?"

Latios gave an annoyed cry of outrage, and she sighed, "I suppose you're right, I haven't thanked you for saving my life." She said apologetically, as she stroked its head, "Thank you my knight in shining armor."

"You're welcome." Steven said as he leaned against the door post, even with the tiniest of cheeky smiles on his face he looked utterly exhausted. She was quiet than shrugged, "Latios go home." She smiled, "Visit Latias, say hi for me!" Her Latios chirped and seemed to somehow bounce in the air before it took off. She watched it go until it disappeared from view before silently walking into his house.

She heard the door closing and Steven came in to the living room minutes later with two cups of hot cocoa. She stared into it feeling an empty pit in her stomach; Wallace, just like in her dreams, always made her hot cocoa when they needed to have a talk. She just wondered how Steven knew or if it was just by chance. The cup was warm in her hands, as she stared down into it. "You're lucky I was there today, people expect much from their champion, like being poised, sensitive and graceful. Not rushing off from a funeral to play with their pokemon."

She growled and looked up, "You know I wasn't doing that." Her stare was fierce, but as she looked at the silver-haired man before her she softened her gaze. It was obvious he hadn't meant it as an insult or a horrid insinuation by the calm look he had on his face. It was always that calm and composed demeanor; it comforted her in a way. It was something she could always count on; but it was also disconcerting at times. Either way it was good to see a crack in his armor the night he had trashed his glassware all over the floor. There was something beneath that exterior after all; it sounded horrible to think but with one look at him and a few conversations it was like he was some well programmed and manufactured AI at times.

"I know. The public don't though. They don't know you like I do; and trust me the press are going to be brutal. Wallace was Hoenn's favorite Gym Leader. I'd prepare yourself for the backlash." He said quietly.

She shrugged, it wasn't anything she wasn't used to. What with Team Magma, and the Championship she barely got a break from the press; both negative and positive. The paparazzi were the worse though, constantly following her around, waiting for her to trip up. They would enjoy themselves with this she knew. She hadn't been thinking of that at all, just the need to get away, mainly from it all but from Steven as well. She studied the man in the armchair next to her. Tall and strong, lean and skinny as all hell. Always wearing those impeccable suits that couldn't be comfortable. His eyes were a grey-blue, usually so inquisitive. Sometimes when he looked at you it was like he had X-ray vision and other times it was like he could only see everything else but you. He walked with confidence which she liked, anyone could tell how strong he was. She just barely defeated him. She'd probably never feel like the actual Hoenn League Champion until she could wreck him in battle, but as it was she still had the badge.

"I don't care what they say. Being Champion isn't for me anyway, so what can they do? The people that matter know the truth. Wallace would understand." She said it in a near whisper, "Of course I don't understand you one bit, so maybe my judgment isn't on par."

She watched a smile grace his thin lips and she warmed inside, "Yes, I hear that often from people. Whether it be from my Father's employees, people I meet on my journey or...lady friends. I don't wish to confuse you May, the struggle isn't between you and I but really my own mind."

"Were you angry with me today?" She said looking him in the eyes, she needed to know this more than anything. She blamed herself for Wallace, but she needed to know if Steven did as well. The look of surprise that filtered across his face momentarily seemed to jolt her.

"No of course not." He said taking a sip, "Wallace and I were very close, we were more like brothers than anything. The thought of him being gone hasn't quite sunk in I'm afraid. Logically I know he won't be slamming my door open in a brilliant entrance like he always did before, but the other part of me can't imagine anything but that. I do apologise for how I acted with you in that brief moment. I didn't realize it would affect you as much as it did. As to why I did so, it took everything in me to face his..him in that way. Anything else would have been too much."

She nodded, "It's okay, I just don't know what would happen if I lost anyone else." She looked down, a lump in her throat at her vulnerable honesty. She hated admitting weakness but it was out there now. She breathed in and trying to salvage her pride just said, "All those lady friends of yours huh? Anyone I know?" She lifted an eyebrow at him.

He chuckled, "Mm, let's see Winona, Cynthia, Roxanne…" He stopped upon seeing the look of shock and horror on her face, "Sometimes you remind me how young you are. Still so naive and gullible after everything thats happened."

She frowned, wondering if that was some sort of insult, but just shrugged it off. She decided not to make it worse by asking if he had never been with anyone. Of course he had he was older than her and good looking, who wouldn't want to be with him?

"No, I'm afraid my endeavors don't often include a partner. None that would put up with me disappearing all the time. Taking risks, being absent to do my job as Champion or looking for rocks. I'm quite a catch aren't I? Who wouldn't want to spend their honeymoon in Granite cave dodging angry Zubats, stepping in puddles just to find a pretty pebble?" He said it all with a smirk on his face and a shrug of his shoulders but she knew there was more to it than what was being said.

"I dunno I think someone who cared enough about you would want to experience whatever made you happy alongside you." She said simply, realizing she had nearly finished her cocoa and looked at him for permission to get more.

"It's in the kitchen, make yourself at home. God knows I won't deny you more cocoa after what you've done for all of us." He said in a serious tone. As she did so, she could hear him call out to her, "Bring more Marshmallows!" She grabbed the bag of miniature sweets and plopped back down on his sofa. "It's not quite as easy as all that. Ideally that would be reality, but our world isn't ideal, so nothing in it is."

"That's quite a strong hypothesis, do you not think pokemon are ideal?" She said as she took a sip, she loved these talks she had with him, he was so intelligent and it brought her some form of normalcy and comfort in an otherwise dark time. Plus she loved the sound of his voice, soft and lilting but with a hint of steel just like his favorite pokemon type.

"By themselves, perhaps, but as it is maybe not. They depend on us as much as we depend on them, in a way. Sure they have existed long before we did, but they can't reach their maximum potential without us. Of course whether they truly want that is another thing but I suppose they could refuse to evolve otherwise. The problem is what we, as humans, have done with pokemon. We've done great things, both good and bad. So ideally humans and pokemon would be better in separate worlds. But who really knows?" He explained throwing his arms up in an expression of his lack of factual knowledge.

Everything went silent then besides the breeze and hum of the insects outside. The fire was cackling in the fireplace as the mug of cocoa warmed her hands. She stared into the murky depths of sweet warm comfort and sighed, "Wallace used to make me hot cocoa when I came to visit him." Out of the corner of her eye she caught Steven stiffen momentarily before forcing himself to relax.

"Yes I recalled that. I thought this occasion might call for it. Whenever I came over he had an unusually large stock of your favorite type. It was quite precarious for a man like him to have two cupboards devoted to nothing but homemade chocolate and marshmallows." Steven grinned, "Usually Milotics pokeblocks took up that space." She seemed surprised that Wallace had done that for her, had made it all from scratch with the most expensive chocolate. She found her eyes misting over as the information washed over her.

"I didn't deserve him." She said quietly, all choked up suddenly, her throat tightening as her heart desperately tried to beat through the dull ache in her chest. It helped a bit when those icy blue eyes turned their gaze upon her with such intensity in them.

"I don't think anyone really did. He was one of a kind that's for sure. I will say one thing though Wallace didn't waste time with things he didn't deem worthy." Steven said as he nibbled on the side of the marshmallow bag in an attempt to open it. She rolled her eyes and took it from him. Easily ripping it open at the 'tear here' print. She thought on that a while, mulling it over in her mind; in a way it made her feel better but in other ways it made her feel worse. Granted she didn't think anything could ever assuage her guilt. "Back to my original question though, where _did_ you go when you left the burial?"

She looked up, surprised at the question, "Oh I invented a new thrill sport." She smiled, "Trying launching yourself off a Charizard thousands of miles in the air and landing a few hundred feet above the water on the back of a Latios." Steven sputtered, looking aghast even as he spit the hot cocoa all over his expensive furniture, she hid the smirk on her face behind her cup and looked at him. "I just wanted to get away and I fell asleep on Charizard, got jolted awake and fell off."

Steven eyed her, "Getting sloppy. You should never ever fall asleep on a flying or surfing pokemon, ever. You know better than that." He said with a reproachful voice, clearly unimpressed with her reasoning.

"You should really try it, it's exhilarating, I've never felt such a feeling of freedom in my entire life. Sure the landing hurts like hell but it's worth it." She smiled, not caring one bit if he didn't approve. She had needed it in that moment. She had fully expected to die, something she'd never share with Steven, and the thought of seeing Wallace again, to say she's sorry and that she loved him. To hug him..was very tempting, she hadn't even tried to save herself, but like always her pokemon were there for her. Latios in particular had always been very loyal and unbending in it's protection and love for her. She didn't expect any less though, that pokemon had chosen her after all, it hadn't even required a battle, it was truly a bond of agreement. She was just as loving and loyal to it as well. It was a bond deeper than she had with her other pokemon that was for sure.

"Perhaps one day when I-" he began before a strange shuttering sound filtered through the window on the breeze. It was unmistakably the sound of a camera, they both froze for a second before Steven got up and went to the door, she quietly padded after him, "Do you think we should open it, what if there's more?" She whispered to him..

"Might as well get it over with now." He said in a tired and defeated voice. She nodded and reached out for a split second and squeezed his fingers before withdrawing, he bowed his head in her direction as if in thanks for the support. She knew how much he hated this part of his job as Champion, he had done it for so long, she already hated it. She could only imagine what it was like for him for years; he had held up so strongly, no one really had a bad thing to say about Steven. In a weird way it made her chest swell with pride at that, her feelings rarely made sense though so she was used to just going with them.

As the door swung open Steven stepped out a stern but still calm look on his face, the persona he wished to give out to everyone, an air of confidence exuding from his very pores. "Can I help you sir?"

The man in the bushes jumped up, but didn't seem ashamed or fazed at being caught. His camera was in his hands and as she came to stand next to Steven he raised it once more and got in another shot, she blinked in the harsh light in the otherwise black night. Dark had fallen early that night as if the sun was even sad and tired. "An interview perhaps? There's many a word going around about the crisis the public were not even informed about. Conspiracy theorists are having a field day and the media can't put a stop to it."

"I told the press that we would do a conference tomorrow morning. Can it not wait until then? Its been a long day, as I'm sure you are aware. Wallace was very close to us." Steven said with a bow of his head, standing tall even though she knew how tired he was.

"Ah yes, I'm aware of that. Unfortunately that was before the accusations were made." The man said as a few other reporters and camera's appeared from the trees, Steven seemed confused but said nothing, she looked between the two, "Accusations? What accusations?" She stepped forward as Steven looked away.

"Well you know, the police have started a murder investigation to catch the nasty bloke who killed your friend. They talked to his family a few hours after the funeral; they pointed the finger at you, it became quick news at that point: you were the last to see him alive." He said gruffly, eyeing the champion with greed in his eyes. She swallowed, they had accused her? Of killing Wallace? Part of her wanted to laugh at the ridiculousness of it, another recoiled in horror, one was panicking, and the other just wanted to cry. She didn't know which one to settle on, so unearthed and disconcerted with this information she couldn't process it all at once. She turned back to Steven; she knew the minute he had turned away that he had known all along, but she also knew they had to provide an united front or they'd be done for. She turned back to look at the reporters gathered before his door.

"We'll give you one hour to gather your supplies and call out to any others who wish to be there. Have it set up in Mossdeep Space Center, the second floor, where it all began. We'll explain everything." She said, "Expect to be there a while." Most seemed agreeable but there were a few muttering about them making some great escape and fleeing the region. She rolled her eyes and walked back inside. When the door snapped shut she threw an accusatory glance at the man in front of her. "You could have warned me!" she hissed.

"I was going to tell you tomorrow May. It was a rough day for both of us and frankly I hadn't figured out how to tell you just yet." He said sighing irritably.

"Yeah hearing it off a strange reporter was definitely the right way to go about it." She snapped as she whipped her bag off her waist. The air filled with tension and she could see how stressed Steven was becoming, even his mask was beginning to fracture under the pressure.

"Look, I'm not some perfect robot that makes the right calls all the time like you apparently do May. I am a human as well." He snapped uncharacteristically, the strain was showing on his face, "I lost my best friend of sixteen years, it wasn't just you that lost someone."

"Yeah but no one is accusing you of murdering him now are they?" She spat back at him with such bitterness she knew had nothing to do with him but she couldn't control the flood of emotions flowing through her, just as a clay wall couldn't withstand a hurricane.

"I may as well have done so. We both know that the majority of blame lies on me. I can't even blame Zinnia, she was raised that way, doing her duty. She didn't know Wallace or his intentions. But I did. I knew it all. I still sent him there. You're not alone in this." He said fiercely.

"I might as well be if I get thrown in jail." She said her arms folded across her chest, fear was thrumming through her. "We don't have time to talk about this. We need to get ready. I'm taking a shower." She spun around into the hallway before entering the bathroom, closing it tightly. She peeled her clothing off and stood under the spray of water. A million thoughts going through her mind that she knew she had to calm and silence to remain focused and sincere in the interview. She breathed deeply and imagined them as a pile of mud the hot water beating down on her was slowly melting away. It took a few minutes but the tension was gone and she refused her mind to return to circling itself. Instead she got dressed in black dress pants and a pink satin dress shirt. She towel dried her hair and for once made it look presentable, even if this was the last thing she wanted to do that day. She placed her feet into a pair of flat shoes and waited for the blue-eyed man to show himself.

Finally he made his entrance, she stared at him with her mouth slightly open in shock. Of course he was in a suit but not any of his normal ones. He looked fantastic, exquisite. She found herself swallowing as her eyes travelled over his body, face heating up as one word came to mind: _sexy._ She knew she shouldn't be thinking like that at the minute but she couldn't help it, every angle of the suit seemed to play off his beautiful facial features and posture, but also hugged him in all the right places. It was a stunning black silk suit with a dull sheen to it. It wasn't too show bizzy as she found most silk suits to be, or inappropriate at least not when he wore it. The way he stood, the serious but calm and confident look on his face as if everything was as it should be made up for any form of lacking fashion sense. She closed her mouth suddenly as she became aware of her astonished staring and said quietly, "You look good."

"Don't sound so surprised. My family is rich after all, and my father likes me to be presentable for board meetings; and not, as he says, dressed like a hermit who has lived in the wild for ten years." He gave a weak lopsided smile, it was goofy but endearing.

"But how does he explain away your hair?" She said smiling innocently, inspecting her nails.

"The same way you explain your hair my dear." He said as he held open the front door to her. She wasn't sure exactly when he had moved in front of her but he had, she gave a small glare as she walked out the door.

As they entered the dark city together, she peered around to make sure they weren't overheard, she could easily spot the many vans with various Media Channels logos on them. "So how are we going to go about this?"

Steven spared her a quick glance before once more looking straight forward as was she, "Let me field all the questions from when things started, don't talk unless asked directly, I assume they'll ask about...when you found Wallace." His voice had faltered slightly and she knew it was both because of Wallace and concern for her. She took an unsteady breath, they had done a bit of joking today something she didn't think was possible but spending time with a Steven who actually had time for other people was a refreshing change. It was like another universe. Unfortunately one that would end tonight as she was reminded of what was to come. "Right, don't worry I can handle it. It can't be any worse than the real thing was."

"This time you won't be alone." Steven spoke firmly in a tone that dared anyone to argue the point. She whispered a quiet, "Thanks." Mossdeep was for the most part a small city, one she had always wished to live in, but nevertheless they reached their destination in a matter of minutes and made their way through a huge throng of camera men and annoying reporters shoving microphones in their faces until they made it to their raised seats on a raised platform just in front of the satellite imagery. They got as comfortable as they could, finding cold as ice bottle water resting next to them as dozens of flashing white lights made spots dance in their eyes. They said nothing as the press finally filed up the stairs and took seats or standing positions around the room. It was nearly full and only a few scientists were able to fit behind them for any questions regarding the facts of the situation if needed.

There seemed to be two security guards, one on her left handed side just diagonal from her in front, and one directly opposite of him to the right by Steven. She was thankful they were here, she had a feeling things could possibly get out of control otherwise. She took a few deep breaths as she looked out at the room. There were so many here; not that she wasn't at least getting used to constantly being in the press, or these kinds of conferences or interviews but never this many media professionals at once and never about something so horribly close to her heart that she still felt was an open wound bleeding out inside of her. She suddenly feared she couldn't do this, that there was no way she could compose herself as Steven had trained her to do so after she became Champion. She didn't turn her head but her eyes travelled to him, he shifted closer as if to show support and give strength and she gave an almost imperceptible nod. Once the room quieted down a bit and no one else seemed to be coming Steven spoke up, "Normally I'd welcome you all here with a Good evening, unfortunately that would be a lie tonight; for we have lost one of Hoenn's best. Not only as a pokemon trainer, and Gym leader, but as a human being. There can be nothing good about losing him."

His eyes swept the audience for a bit as he seemed to be gathering his thoughts, "As most of you know Wallace and I were close friends for quite a number of years, his loss is devastating to me, along with everyone else I am sure. Miss Maplewood as well was close to Wallace, he was her mentor for quite a while. It's been a very difficult time, and I'm sure you can all appreciate that, as I can appreciate that the public would want to know what has happened the last few days." He looked around, "I shall start at the beginning, as most people know I reside in Mossdeep, my father is the CEO of the Devon Corporation, so I end up spending a lot of my time in this very room. The day in question was no different. I had just been defeated as Champion a few weeks prior, so was re-adjusting to life as a free man when my father sent me over to gather things from the scientists."

"When I arrived up here however, things were in a panic, on the screen behind us was a large meteor rocketing straight for earth, in particular our region. It would have struck that same day; so I do hope the public can forgive us that we didn't have much time to sit around answering questions when every second counted in saving everyone's lives. The many brilliant scientists in the lab kept monitoring the meteor, calculating the time and place of impact and the consequences of it; while another group and I tried to find ways to stop it. I decided to call May in; she is a trusted acquaintance and the Pokemon League Champion; she also has saved Hoenn before from Team Magma and their ill-conceived plan to turn our world into an oven." He took a sip of water.

"I had a plan, it was the only one we could come up with in the hours we had, that would work that quickly. Over 3,000 years ago a weapon was built, the Ultimate weapon as I'm sure many people know. It was used in war, and many pokemon and people died. It was a terrible thing to happen. However I thought, this machine was intended for nefarious purposes, but what if we could use it for good? May didn't seem to agree when she heard the full plan. She didn't like the idea that Pokemon would have to suffer, even if it meant saving the vast majority of not only humans but pokemon as well. She knew the importance however, and carried out what I asked her to do. Gathering the gems that would power the machine, and contacting the people we'd need to. We had to meet with the Draconians as their youngest descendant was causing us issues. We thought she wanted us to fail."

He cleared his throat and picked up once more with ease, "I couldn't step away from the machine, so I sent our strongest trainer out to stop her. Which of course was May. I knew she was heading for Sky Pillar, or at least I had an inkling. I told her to go see Wallace, so she did. For the Pillar can only be unsealed by the Draconians and those who descended from the people who founded Hoenn. Which of course, Wallace was." He shifted a bit, "Upon receiving my message Wallace rushed right off to unseal the chamber, while May prepared and travelled there herself. By the time she reached there, she found Wallace dead outside. She was in shock for quite a while from what she has told me but she managed to save our region by letting Zinnia, the draconian, summon Rayquaza. The ancient pokemon that protected us before, Rayquaza joined forces with May and they destroyed the meteor and the threat to our world."

"I'm sorry we've been so quiet, it is not because there is a cover up, or some government conspiracy, it is simply because we have lost someone so close to us and so recently that we didn't have the time or energy to give to you. And for that we're sorry and hope you can understand. Now, I will allow a few questions." Steven said sitting back down on his stool. This was the part she was concerned about, especially with these new accusations flying about.

"Is it true that you two spent the last few nights together?" The same man who had been hiding in the bushes taking pictures of them together asked, May sighed, Steven however remained neutral, "It is true. We have been each other's support through it all, and as I am sure you're going to ask, and probably my father when he sees this too, no there is nothing romantic or intimate going on between us. We're not together. Simply friends grieving a mutual friend together." The man seemed to frown as if he didn't like the answer but jotted it down anyway. She wondered just how he'd twist it. She could just see 'mutual friend' get twisted into 'mutual lover'. If that man dared besmirch Wallace's name though there would be hell to pay.

Another reporter raised her hand, the light in her eyes like that of a vulture finding a dying creature was a dead giveaway to what she wanted to ask, "May, what do you have to say to these accusations that you killed Wallace because he refused to let you pass?"

She raised her chin defiantly and confidently even though inside she was trembling with anger and grief, "I say it's a horrible thing to say. I loved Wallace deeply, he has been there for me in ways my own family never has been. He _was_ my family and now he's gone. I can barely process the thought in my head, it doesn't seem real, but it is and it's heartbreaking. I could never hurt Wallace and to be accused of such is like a kick in the gut and a stab in the heart. As for the part of not letting me pass that makes no sense. For the place was sealed, only he could unseal it for me. Zinnia you see, could walk right in, she didn't have to break the seal but people like you and I wouldn't be able to pass. And the only person who could break the seal was Wallace. He wouldn't have had to stand in front of the door. He wouldn't have even had to go out there to stop me from entering. It simply makes no sense if you want to look at it in the logical way. It's much more logical to say that Wallace's family is heartbroken and angry that he was ripped so cruelly away from them and the world and must lash out and find a place to hurl their understandable anger. But I did not kill Wallace, I would never, could never even think of it." By the end her voice was no longer strong but wobbling as it was an unhinged globe spinning precariously on its axis. She didn't know why she was so desperate for people to believe her but she was. "Don't you think it's the least bit suspicious however, that you were the last person to see him alive?"

"I wasn't, Zinnia was, when she murdered him." She said firmly in a tone that brooked no argument.

"Our reporters have been investigating this for a few days Miss Maplewood, and it seems only you and Steven seem to think this girl exists. There is no record of her, no account of her any place in Hoenn, even the others involved in this tragedy and crisis has no recollection of her. I'm sure you can understand how this may look to the public eye." The reporter said with a skeptical tone to her voice and matching look to go with it.

"And how exactly does it look?" May said challengingly, she knew she was stepping on cracking ice as she asked it but she no longer cared.

"It looks like Wallace was the one that didn't agree with your plan and when he found out what you two were up to, he went to Sky Pillar, found you there trying to break in, and you killed him. And the two of you, whom seem suspiciously close regardless of relationship status, seem to have made up this Zinnia person no one else has seen or heard of to pin the blame on." The reporter said her pen poised to write whatever was said next.

"That...That is just ludicrous! How dare you-I-you...You're a disgusting human being, it's people like you that make me wonder why Wallace had to die when there's so many lesser humans like yourself to pick from." May spat angrily as she stood up, suddenly there was an iron-tight grip on her forearm as the reporter muttered about, 'Aggression, violence, arrogance, lesser humans'. May sighed defeatedly, she always managed to make things worse.

"That's enough. Its been a trying day for everyone. This conference is now over." Steven called out over the room as the bodyguards pushed the crowd of vultures back to let them through. They couldn't get out of there fast enough, but they didn't dare talk until they were once more safely tucked away in his home. "What were you thinking saying that?!"

"I was thinking how true it was! How tired I am! How insulting it is to think I could possibly be so in love with you I'd murder Wallace!" She said as she flopped down on the couch.

"This is going to come back to us and not in a good way May. You played right into their hands, you _know_ this. What I don't get is why you keep behaving so stupidly when you are so smart." Steven said in frustration.

"Well I'm sorry I don't have the emotional range of a teaspoon that comes along with a nice handy on and off switch, like some spoiled kids do." She hissed, she was at the very end of her rope and she couldn't handle everyone including Steven being against her. She didn't have Wallace anymore and now Steven was turning against her, or so it felt. Everything was going so wrong. She looked at Steven's face only to find it expressionless. It was almost unnerving how emotionless he seemed just then when the last few hours he had expressed himself more than he normally did.

He seemed to calm then, as if he was a cats whose fur was temporarily ruffed, but was now deflating and its hair flattening back onto its body. "Yes I forgot, you are still a child. Only nineteen. We expect too much out of you, we always have. You should go home May, you shouldn't be staying with an older man, people will talk, especially given who we are and the situation we're in. It'd be good if we were seen apart instead of constantly seen together."

She remained quiet for a bit. It was like the air disappeared in the room. Steven was kicking her out. Well she technically never lived there to begin with, but he had never thrown her out before. She had crossed a line she knew, she also knew what he was saying was logically true and very smart, but somehow it felt more personal, and she just felt beaten on. It was never-ending. She couldn't take much more, so instead of fighting and bringing more upon her she chose not to collapse and just surrender to it. She gathered a few of her things and walked silently out. She didn't even look at Steven, or say a word. She was too empty, she was trying to distance herself from it all in her mind. It was too much, it would always be too much. And as she stood on the cliff above the ocean staring into the dark night sky she called Latios to her.

As she soared towards her parent's house she thought of checking into a hotel but somehow the normalcy of home, even if it was not the best of homes, was better than nothingness. And so she unlocked the door with her spare key and went to her room. She fell onto the bed letting her pokemon out into her room. They all seemed to curl up near her, she fell asleep just totally spent emotionally and physically with an arm dangling from the bed, her hand resting upon Swamperts side. She was hoping to get a good night's sleep; but that wasn't what was going to happen. Instead she was awoken a few hours later, to her mother crying as a policeman led her downstairs and into the back of police car, telling her she was under arrest for the Murder of Wallace. Her father was demanding the cop to do something, she didn't know anymore. Nothing seemed real.

She just looked up and said, "I think I'm going to need a lawyer."


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: This is important. This chapter is filled with different POV's. They are broken up by a line. In between each POV is also a snippet from a TV interview. The italics are flashbacks/memories. I'm sorry if this confuses you but it's the only way I could write this chapter to be what I envisioned it to be. Also Warnings: There is some profanity and a scene of sexual abuse in here, it's sort of graphic but not as much as I have seen with others.**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing. Nor am I making money off of it.**

The ride to the precinct had been agonizing, she'd never forget the look upon her mother's face as she was taken away. Now in an interrogation room she awaited what was to come in mind-numbing fear. She couldn't wrap her head around the fact that they could think she had done it, after everything she had done to save and preserve human life they still thought her capable of taking it away. No one, besides Steven, seemed to understand how much Wallace had meant to her; she knew it made sense logically for her to be a suspect but that only hurt more. She wrapped her arms around herself stared at the cold empty room, it was mostly a dull silver-grey with streaks of cold cobalt blue, a flat screen computer or TV rested in the top right hand corner while opposite of it was a camera recording her every move, it was otherwise empty besides the metal table at which she sat. There were two chairs facing each other, and at the moment the one she didn't occupy was empty. She didn't know how long it would remain so, but she hoped it wouldn't be much longer. As much as she dreaded what was to come the waiting was much worse.

She absent-mindedly scratched the table with her nails and looked down, all she could process was the anxiety eating away at her. How did things get to this point? She just wanted it to go away, it was all just one big mistake and she didn't know how much more she could take, she was at her breaking point. A million thought flitted across her mind, did her father know yet? Would they hire her a good lawyer? Did Steven know? Would he help her? What would happen to her if they didn't believe her? What would people think? Her mind circled these questions over and over again until it just collapsed in upon itself and went blissfully blank. The calm didn't remain long however as thoughts of her needing to do something to at least think on it or it would be worse came back. She could fight them back for a little while when she remembered Wallace constantly asking her in times of fear and anxiety, "Can you do anything about it just now? Will torturing yourself like this change a thing? If the answer is no, than why do it?" It was easy to say of course, but practice was much more difficult.

Over the years she had gotten better at it, and now in her greatest time of need she found it worked for a bit, she could push it all away for a little while before it broke through once more. There was nothing here to distract her, nothing at all, the boredom created the first crack in the wall, her emotions did the rest of the destruction needed for it all to come piling back in. Where were the detectives to question her? Were they cruelly letting her stew in it, as if putting her on edge could suddenly make her guilty of a crime she didn't commit? Her eyes flickered around the room nervously looking for a clock she knew didn't exist. in the room. She stared at the one-way glass before her, her face showing how utterly out of it she was. Thankfully she didn't have to wait much longer for the door to open.

In walked a man dressed in a grey suit and loafers, he was carrying a thin file of papers he placed on the table before taking a seat. Adjusting his blue tie he opened it and she noticed with a bit of surprise it was her own. A picture of her was paperclipped in the top right corner, underneath were papers documenting her life from the time she was born until now. She took a closer look at the man in front of her, he was middle-aged, with dark greasy hair that was slicked back and curly by the nape of his neck, his skin was tanned and his eyes were a dark muddy brown. His face was pock-marked and his nose large, the skin sagged under his red-rimmed eyes. He had very large calloused hands that when clasped together as they were now looked like a boulder. He had to weigh around two hundred pounds with broad shoulders standing close to six feet tall. "Good evening Miss Maplewood, my name's Detective Harrison."

"Hi." She said quietly in a raspy voice, her mouth was so dry it felt like she hadn't used her voice in years. He gave a small smile and asked for some water which was soon brought to him, sliding it over to her she just stared at it before taking a sip. "Thanks." She seemed to shrink back from him, hunching into herself. She knew this man would be crucial to putting her away, in no way did she feel comfortable with him or safe.

"Let's talk about what brings us both here tonight. You presumably knew Wallace?" He asked as he opened a notepad he took out of his coat pocket and uncapped a pen

"Yes, I did." She said, she knew she shouldn't even be answering any questions until her lawyer got there but she didn't even know if one was coming. She'd have to be very careful of what she said, she bit her lip and took another sip of water.

"Did you know him well? What kind of relationship did you have?" He pressed her looking up from his notes.

"We were close. We met when I had to go into the Cave of Origin to stop Groudon, and then again when I challenged his Gym. After that we bonded, he became like a mentor to me. I visited him often for advice." She said, choking up at the end, her throat aching and becoming painfully tight, what she wouldn't give to see Wallace now, or even speak to him on the phone. She needed him now more than ever but her dreams of seeing him walk through that door would never come true, she was utterly alone and she just wanted to curl up and cry. It took all her strength to push back the emotions threatening to overwhelm her, as alone as she felt at times she knew she wasn't. There was Steven, but where was he?

"I can see his death impacted you greatly." Harrison offered encouragingly.

She nodded but when it was met with silence she realized he wanted her to respond, "Yes, it's been terrible. I can barely sleep or eat. I miss him so much, I just want him back." Her voice shook as she admitted this.

"Can you tell us exactly what happened that day? Start from the beginning please."

"I had travelled home with Brendan after becoming the pokemon league champion, my family and his wanted to throw me a party to celebrate. When I went to leave my house the next day this strange girl was outside, I never saw her before." She spoke in a numb voice

"What did she look like?" Harrison interrupted abruptly.

"She was wearing a brown ripped and tattered cloak with shorts and a tank top, she had knee high socks on and wore dirty sneakers. She had brown hair and eyes, a whismur followed her around that she called Aster. I don't know how tall she was she was always hunched over." She answered. "Before I could even say hello she approached me and began talking about keystones, mega-evolution and something in petalburg, I don't know. I wasn't really paying attention. I just thought it was some random girl that tracked me down for an autograph."

She felt her hands tighten around the chain of her handcuffs, "When she left I went to see what Brendan was going to be doing that day, I thought we could go catch some of the new pokemon together. When I went over there he was arguing with his Mum, apparently this random girl had attacked him and tried to steal his stone or something. That's when I realized what she was after. I remembered she said something about Petalburg, and my friend Wally was there, he also had a stone. So I flew over there, but I didn't find her, instead Wally was being held up by some Team Magma thug. We battled, I won, she took off after cursing me out. Apparently this random girl stole Wally's Key stone."

"I was leaving to try to track down the girl somehow when I got a call on my pokenav, it was Steven. He told me I was needed immediately and told me to meet him at his Father's corporation in Rustboro." She stilled her hands, she was feeling curiously numb as she recounted the story, it was as if she was reading from a book but it was the only way she could get through it without losing it.

"Steven Stone I presume?" the detective jotted down, she nodded, "What's your connection with him?"

"Well I met him quite early on in my journey, I helped a few of his fathers employees out when Team Magma attacked them and tried to steal whatever it was they had. So he asked me to deliver a letter to Steven who was in granite cave. I was heading there anyway to challenge Brawly, so I said sure. I did my business there and found Steven in the cave looking at a Mural, we talked for a bit. About pokemon and ideals. Bunch of philosophical stuff that got me thinking you know. He's real smart and kind. After that we seemed to keep bumping into each other all over Hoenn and eventually I defeated him as Champion. We've always been friendly." She noted, a warmth returning to her voice as she spoke about him. She could easily remember the first time she met Steven, he was a wonder to behold….

 _She finally made it down the poorly made dirt and stone ledges that were meant to be stairs. She was out of breath and her hair quite out of place, she brushed it aside. She was more concerned with the state of her pokemon, as pleased as she was with capturing new ones, her main team suffered for it. It always bothered her deeply to see any of her team in pain or injured. It was the consequence of battling and training she knew, she'd just have to get better and stronger and her pokemon would alongside her. She called them forth one by one to heal them and tell them how good they did and thank them. She held her little Riolu in her arms, he was so little but could pack quite a punch. He had taken a bad beating at one point, she wrapped his arm up, "I promise I'll take you to a pokemon center soon, I have to fulfill a promise okay? You won't be called back out. Rest for now. I'm sorry." It bothered her that she had failed him._

 _She should have known fighting type pokemon were weak against psychic types, but he was the weakest of her team and she wanted to train him up. She cringed, she'd never do that again. Standing back up she dusted herself off and entered the next room. Her eyes widened at how large the cavern was, it was bigger than her home in Littleroot, there were dozens of torches on the wall lighting the area up decently but even then she could only make out the barest shadow of the ceiling. She moved forward careful of where she stepped, she didn't see any wild pokemon in this area which she was thankful for, however, she did spot a rather tall man in a black pin-striped suit in front of her. It wasn't like any suit she'd seen before though the arms were purple and the cuffs were steel; he was thin with blue hair._

 _She opened her mouth shyly to call out but went quiet when she realized he was talking to himself, she smiled. Moving closer she could hear his mumblings, her eyes falling on the mural in front of the man. It was a magnificent piece showing Groudon and Kyogre and different symbols. It was sad there was no words to translate it, but it seems Steven was trying to anyway. Something about primal forms and their mega-evolution being so much greater it was hard to imagine. She had no idea what any of it meant or even who the pokemon were. She found herself listening without wanting to alert him to her presence, she enjoyed the sound of his voice. It was a smooth, higher-sounding tenor that flowed together effortlessly. It was nice, and it relaxed her, the tension leaving her body._

" _Um...Mister Stone?" She said nervously as she approached the strange man in front of her. Her parents had always warned her about stranger danger especially from men and they were alone in a cave. It was foolish to think anything would happen but she couldn't help it. Her mother's obsessive-compulsive paranoid worry had drilled it into her head to be wary of everything and anyone she didn't know._

 _He turned around so fast she nearly jumped, instead her hand flew up to her necklace that her father had given her when he had seen her with her first pokemon. She studied his face, thin and pointed at the chin but handsome. His eyes were a mysterious grey-blue she wasn't quite sure which but they were hard as stone, not cold however. He frowned at her, a confused look upon his face, "You are…?"_

" _Uh, my name's May, your father sent me here to give you a letter." She said ruffling through her side bag and pulling out the envelope, she held it out in front of her. His long fingers grasped it and she let go, just staring at him. She couldn't help it there was just something about him that drew her complete attention to him. She was sure if some rare pokemon stood off to the side begging for her attention she wouldn't have even noticed it._

 _And then he smiled, it slid onto his face so smoothly and gracefully it was like it had always been there and she hadn't noticed. "Ah, it's a pleasure May. My apologies, for being rude. I get a bit carried away when I'm looking for stones. It's a miracle my father knew which cave I'd be in frankly." He disrobed the letter from its envelope and quickly read it, "I see."_

 _Of course she couldn't see, but she could notice how his smile changed, while it remained on his face it seemed to tighten and appeared to her that he was forcing it to remain on his lips for her benefit. She hoped whatever it was wasn't terrible news, but then his voice washed over her again and those thoughts melted away, "Thank you for delivering this, take this from me, it's my favorite pokemon move." She took a folded piece of paper that seemed dirty and very worn, "In there is the instructions to teach a pokemon Steel Wing. It's a beautiful move and quite powerful."_

" _Thank you." She replied happily, she didn't yet have a flying pokemon she wanted to use, but it would come in handy down the line. She noticed him studying her as she secured the paper in her satchel but when she looked up he had turned back to the ancient mural resting upon the surface of the wall in front of them._

" _What do you make of this?" He asked her then, she was surprised, what did she think? She frowned, she didn't know what to think. She had just moved her and knew nothing of the area or its history. Nor did she know anything about ancient murals or hieroglyphics. She came to stand next to him on the raised platform just before the picture and looked at it more closely, her eyes studying it from left to right._

" _It's depicting something similar happening to both these pokemon, but different. By the looks of it they're different types. And then these pokemon down here, it's something similar but not." She went quiet her brow furrowing as she leaned in closer, "There's a lot of death in this mural. It looks like a warning of some sort, a warning about power perhaps. Too much of it can be destructive. That's what I see, but I dunno, I had no idea what it is." She was a bit embarrassed, she had wanted to answer correctly even though she knew that was a hopeless idea. For some reason she found herself wanting to impress this man, or at the very least pick his brain. Just from his ramblings earlier she could tell he was a smart man._

 _She watched as his head tilt and she had to stifle a smile at how that looked upon a full-grown six foot tall man's body. "Hm, that's interesting, yes I see power too. It worries me what kind of power it's talking about though. See look here." He pointed at the large pokemon's hand, "Groudon has symbols on his hands, I've seen them some place else but I can't place where." He sighed in frustration._

" _You need to stop thinking so hard about it. It'll come eventually. How did this get here anyway? Who made it?" She asked reaching out she touched upon the surface realizing it wasn't paint but it was etched and carved into the stone._

" _The ancient people that used to live in Hoenn. It's been rumored that they had to escape and hide in a cave to save themselves and as they lay dying made this mural to warn anyone who would see it." His voice was quiet but firm, a grave tone to his voice, "Wallace will know more, he's descended from the ancient people." His eyes slipped away it seemed and she stood there quietly unsure what to say._

" _Why does it matter?" She asked frowning, "It was so long ago. Things are better now, what's the point of dissecting something you will never get an answer for?"_

" _Because May, someone made these murals to warn us even though they knew they'd die without ever knowing us. We have to care because they cared. We all matter, dead or alive." He looked down at her then frowned at the time, his eyes widening, "I must be going or my father is going to send an army out to find me. Excuse me May. Good luck on your journey!" And with that the man all but ran out of the chamber._

Of course it was like looking at a completely different Steven now, so quickly and willingly he had been to sacrifice so many lives. It was like she couldn't comprehend how two very different people could reside in one body. Wallace had always accused her of putting Steven on a pedestal, of looking at him with hero-worship in her eyes. It may have been true, maybe she had been blinded by how she felt about him and only saw what she wanted; did she really know Steven that little? Thinking that way bothered her however, because she did care for him and love him. It was something she'd probably never admit to anyone, not again anyway, but it was true. And to think that she didn't know someone she loved made her feel uncomfortable and imbalanced. She jumped as Harrison tapped on the table, "May, I asked you, were you two friendly?" a slight impatient look on his face.

"Oh..yes. Yes we're friendly." She said as she looked up at him in surprise, "He's my closest friend."

"Only a friend?" He asked with a raised eyebrow, "From the reports it seems you've been staying with him for quite a while."

"Yes, I have been. I have no place else to go. I mean I could go home but after Wallace died I wanted to be with someone who knew him and cared for him as much as I did. Mum and Dad wouldn't understand." She looked down, it would never be anything more than friendship either. She wanted more before, he however did not. After this though, she didn't know what she wanted anymore.

"Okay so Steven called you…" He prompted her picking up his pen once more.

"Yes he called me and I immediately flew over to Rustboro. His father told me a tale of the Ultimate weapon, basically it takes the life from pokemon and harnesses that energy into a weapon of mass destruction. He gave Steven a link cable and told him to go to the Space center here in Mossdeep, and told me to go to granite cave where there will be meteorite shards that could help fuel it. The plan was to destroy the Meteor with the weapon. So I did what I was told. When I got there the strange girl was there, we battled and I won. I found out her name is Zinnia and she asked about what I knew of the truth before leaving. On my way out Steven called me again to tell me to bring the shards to the space center. Which I did, while there they discussed the plan in full. They were going to combine the pokemon's life energy with the humans' life energy to recreate the energy of mega-evolution and hopefully blast the meteor into another dimension."

"Another dimension? How did they know another one exists?" Harrison said looking at her with interest but suspicion. She shrugged. "No idea." He motioned at her to continue.

"While there Zinnia came in and told us the plan was stupid and dangerous. She said it would only lead to atrocities. That we were repeating mistakes made by our ancestors. She told of another plan she had brewing very vaguely before disappearing. After she left, Professor Cozmo said we needed a more pure meteorite shard like those found at Meteor falls. Steven and I left immediately. We found Zinnia's grandmother living in the last room of the cave. She reveals that they are the draconids, that they are there to pass down the knowledge of mega-evolution and protect Hoenn through Rayquaza. That was what Zinnia was trying to do, but Steven didn't like it. We saw what Groudon had done and Rayquaza was much more powerful, he thought it too risky. So kept to his original plan."

She took a steadying breathe, "I went to Devon corporation after that and found Team Magma there, I was told they were heading to the space center, where Steven was. I left to go there. When I got there they had taken over the building and were holding Steven hostage." Her voice shook as she remembered walking into that terrible scene, her eyes lowered. She swallowed against a lump in her throat.

"Are you telling me a previous pokemon league champion was being held hostage by a Team Magma member?" he said with surprised disbelief.

"He was trying to protect the others, and they had taken them by surprise he had no time to protect himself. When I walked in they had him on his knees with vicious pokemon trying to bite him." She could easily recall how she had frozen then threw out her own pokemon, all of them at once jumping forward in fear for his life. "We battled, Team Magma and I, they were defeated. As they were leaving Aster came in and stole the dimensional shifter and gave it to Zinnia who destroyed it so it couldn't be used."

"I ended up going to Team Magma's hideout to find Zinnia stealing Maxxie's key stone, for some reason Zinnia invited me to go to Sky Pillar with her. The place where Rayquaza can be summoned in times of need. I went back to Steven to tell him. Steven told me to go see Wallace because Wallace was also one of the few people who could unseal the place. Steven wanted me to stop Zinnia, but she was right. This could all be done without any death if we asked for help, I didn't tell anyone, not even Wallace, but I went to help Zinnia. Wallace went ahead to unseal it. I took a while to find the place as I had never been to Pacifidlog town. When I got there…" Her voice shook and her eyes misted over at the hardest part of the story but she pressed on trying to return to repeating it with no emotion. "When I got there Wallace was dead in front of the entrance. Blood was everywheres. I went to him and I sat with him for a bit before realizing the meteor would still destroy everything. And I went inside. I went up the ladders, when I got on top Zinnia knocked me out. When I came to preparations were complete and she summoned Rayquaza. But the Dragon didn't want to be ordered around by Zinnia but chose me. I captured him, and destroyed the meteor. By the time I got back Zinnia was gone and I was alone. So I went back down to Wallace and called Steven."

There was silence in the room besides the scratching of his pen against paper. She looked at her hands practically engulfed in the large chunky cuffs that didn't fit her properly. When he coughed she looked up, "The problem Miss Maplewood is that no one has ever heard of this Zinnia, so I'm sure you can see the problem here. From where everyone else stands it looks like you killed Wallace for the glory."

It felt like a punch in the gut to hear that, "I would never, _not ever,_ do that. I loved Wallace." She said on the brink of a total break down, she fell silent and just breathed, she needed out. She needed to get out of there now, "Can I go home now?"

He sighed, "I'm afraid not, we're going to be holding you until your trial to set bond or bail since you've been formally charged."

"Formally charged? On what evidence? To have an arrest evidence you need evidence, being seen with him last is not proof of anything!" She said hysterically, the walls were closing in, desperation rattled her mind and spirit. "You have no right to hold me. And you had no right to arrest me! I've been cooperative, and honest. I've answered all your questions and I will continue to do so, but I will not be held against my will illegally!"

"We have probable cause Miss Maplewood, and therefore every right to arrest and keep you in custody." The man's eyes were hard now no sign of the tired but warm individual he had been during the interview.

She fumed but then said defeatedly, "I won't speak again until I have a lawyer. I want my phone call, we're done here." With that two guards came in and escorted her into a holding cell, there was a phone in the corner, dialing Steven's number she sighed when she got his voice mail. "Steven it's May. I've been arrested and charged with Wallace's murder. I need a lawyer, please I don't think my family is willing to get me one. I'm being held at Mossdeep precinct. Please come." She hung up the phone and the cell opened once more a different guard came in. He was her own height but with more muscle on it, leading her to a more enclosed room he looked her up and down.

"I'm sorry Champion May for all of this. A lot of us here are for you, we don't believe you did it either but we just have to do our jobs." He said in a soft voice she nodded numbly and let him do a quick frisk, soon she was led back to a single cell, with a bed, toilet and sink. She laid on the bed, pulling the blanket to her chest protectively as she heard the bars clink shut. Her eyes welled with tears as she stared at the wall, she felt the first tremors go through her body as a sob was ripped from her throat. She had been trying to keep it in for so long it just exploded from her. The grief, anger, hurt, fear ruptured her shields and she lay there crying and sobbing wishing Steven was there to comfort her. She remembered how warm his embrace was, how secure and safe she had felt. She'd give anything to be in his arms once more, she needed him now more than ever but she was all alone. She lay there crying, releasing every pent up emotion that had gathered inside of her until her body was too exhausted to carry on anymore and she drifted off into an uneasy sleep.

* * *

"Good Morning Hoenn, we have some breaking news for you today. Days ago Sootopolis' gym leader Wallace was brutally murdered in front of Sky Pillar. His body was found by Champion May who was kind enough to give an interview explaining what happened after rumors had surfaced that she was suspected by the family of murdering Wallace. She refuted these claims saying that she arrived there to find him already dead, however as of last night Champion May was arrested and charged with his murder. Detective Harrison refused to give comment but told us that he had sat down with May last night and questioned her; with her information they are finally able to really get going with this investigation and are verifying some of her claims. As of right now however they still are not sure what is going on."

"So today we decided to go throughout the region and see what people are really thinking. We start in May's hometown of Littleroot, beside me is Professor Birch, the man responsible for giving Champion May her very first pokemon! Hello Professor, how're you today?"

"To be honest Gabby, I could be better. My family is very upset with what has occurred. Wallace's death was tragic and hurt the entire region as a whole. However my family is very close to the Maplewoods, and my son is May's best friend. We know May didn't do this. We don't know what went on at Sky Pillar, only May does. She's always been a very honest caring girl. We support her one hundred percent, we expect her home soon when justice prevails." The Professor noted in his deep rumbling voice.

"Is it possible under all the stress she could have snapped and you are perhaps too biased to make a fair judgement Professor?"

"May has been under a lot of stress. She has saved this region many times from lethal threats. Which we are all very grateful for. However it isn't in her to hurt a soul. I just talked to her a few days before Wallace died, she had just become the Pokemon League Champion and was very happy. I had never seen someone so relaxed and pleased. There is no way she could have had any sort of psychological meltdown. As for my own bias, yes being very close to May I can see why people would think that however I also am a very logical person and have seen people turn bad before. I know the signs and May has none of them."

"Thank you for your time Professor! We tried to contact the Maplewood family but they refused to answer their door or their calls. Our sources tell us that Misses Maplewood has not left the house since her daughters arrest, nor has Mister Maplewood left his Gym in petalburg. We'll be travelling to Oldale town and Petalburg city to see what people there think! Keep a look out for us in your next town!"

* * *

He ran his hands through his silver-blue hair, it was turning out to be a long day just like his night had been. When he had finally returned home in the morning it was to find a blinking answering machine and a message that froze him completely. May's voice had barely registered with him after her stunning news, but when it did he dropped the devon package he had been carrying carelessly on the floor. It was no longer important, he needed to see her, to get to her. May's mind set hadn't been very stable in the last few days and this could push her over the edge. He cared about her deeply, more than he had any of the others. Over the years he had travelled the lands searching for stones, raising his pokemon and doing his father's bidding, almost as often as travelled he found trainers that he took under his wing so to speak. There had been many May's in his past but none like her. None that had made him want to stop his travelling, or to change his life around. It had frightened him in a way, he enjoyed what he had, and to think someone could come in to rearrange it so thoroughly made him pull-back but not after it was already too late. He had become emotionally invested in her, had seen her grow up into the beautiful, head-strong woman she was now and he was like a moth to a flame.

It was really no mystery to him why his first plan of action was to come to her rescue or to protect her. He'd do anything, even if things were rocky between them that didn't mean your heart stopped feeling for the other person. However as he got dressed his mind began to go through many different scenarios; he knew going there now and demanding her release wouldn't work. Nor did he have time to waste as he turned on the news and let it fill his mind with fear. He didn't have time to go there and try to play hero, no matter how much he wanted to see her. No, he had to focus on getting her released, and fast. He knew the police would be working hard to condemn her and he had to work even harder to make sure that didn't happen. Finally he was in a fresh suit, albeit the same one, he smiled a little in the mirror. May had always complained about his wardrobe but he had never seen the point of changing it, it worked for almost every occasion, so why waste time and money finding something else?

He slowed his mind down enough to figure out that he would need to get her the best lawyer money could buy, and to find out just what was already said. He would need to find Zinnia in the end, but a nagging thought in his head kept bringing him back to May's face when he had asked her where Zinnia was. He knew deep down the young draconid was dead; it churned his gut at the time. He had never thought May capable of committing a murder regardless of circumstances but it was written clear as day on her face what she had done. How could he possibly cover that up? He was no shining beacon of morality either, even if everyone thought of him as such, it didn't bother him he was thinking about helping May out of this jam, but how to go about it was lost to him. "One step at a time Steven." He reminded himself.

He gathered his pokemon, and pokenav before leaving his home, for once he locked the door behind him. He called out his trusted Skarmory and jumped on its back, he petted her side, "Sorry girl I didn't mean to hurt you, I'm just in a hurry is all. We're going to see my Dad." with that he held on tight as the Skarmory took flight with a mighty cry and whisked him off to Rustboro city. He didn't bother to look below him at the region he had called home for so long like he usually did, it wasn't until he actually landed in front of his Father's corporation that he seemed to care. "Stay here girl." He ran up the flight of stairs, by-passing secretaries that called for him to wait, and scientists who asked how he was. Barging into his father's office he noticed two men in suits sitting before his father's desk looking at spreadsheets.

"Excuse me gentlemen, the meeting is over, my father has other arrangements that just came up, you'll have to come back." He said firmly, taking them by their arms as they protested. He hated treating people so briskly but there was no other option. When he turned around his father was peering at him with his eyebrows raised.

"What is going on Steven? Is everything alright?" The older Stone asked gruffly.

"No..no everything is not fine. I need the best criminal lawyer you know. May's in trouble, please father, they think she killed Wallace. I've never asked you for anything all these years." He was leaning over his father's desk, the desperation leaking out of his voice. He never showed much emotion outside and so he hoped his father seeing him in such a state would impress upon the old man how serious and important this was to him.

"Of course I'll help Miss May, that girl is a charm, how could you think I wouldn't?" His father picked up his phone and after ten minutes calling different firms he found his old pals number. "Clarence, it's Stone, remember that situation you got me out of? Yeah well there's someone close to my son and I who needs your help desperately. You've been watching the news? Yeah she's the one. Mossdeep precinct if what I've heard is correct. Thank you."

Steven was pacing back and forth in front of the large desk when he heard a cough and looked up, "Clarence is on his way, he's the best on this side of the globe son. If anyone can get May out it's him. He'll need your help though, and for that you need to calm down. I know how much she means to you but if you let emotion cloud your mind and judgment now it could end disastrously."

Running his fingers through his hair, Steven nodded, "I know I just can't not think about her. She drives me insane sometimes." He soon left after bidding his father goodbye and once more mounted his Skarmory trying to think of what to do next. He forced himself to relax and thought of Zinnia, the one person who could possibly know her whereabouts or anything about her would be her grandmother. He had to confirm she was dead, before going on an assumption. "Meteor falls my dear." He said feeding his bird a pokeblock. His father was right he needed to get his mind sorted if he wished to sort this mess out at all. They needed a clear path to May's innocence not one muddled with his fears and emotions.

When he landed he took a deep breath in and steadied himself, he headed straight into the cave spraying a repel solution. He walked at a steady pace and was grateful he didn't have to go far to find the woman he was looking for, she was staring into the water a few hundred feet from the entrance. They stood in silence for a while before he spoke, "I must ask you, do you know where your granddaughter is?"

The older woman finally looked up at him and in her eyes he could see all the years she had lived passing through her, "No. She was never seen after the summoning," there was an awkward silence for a while before she spoke again, "We may live in isolation in this cave but we know of what's going on. Zinnia's entire purpose is to protect human life and pokemon life. If she had killed Wallace it would go against her very nature unless he was in her way of the greater good. She may be too ashamed to come home and face judgment but we both know she'll never come back because she can't." Steven frowned, his worst fears finally becoming reality this woman too thought her granddaughter dead and it made a hole in his heart.

"I'm sorry." He spoke quietly, his mouth dry, pity in his eyes for the woman before him grieving for her dead grandchild.

"You say that but you'll have her killer out, won't you? Maybe it's right seeing as what Zinnia could've done but we know for certain what May has done." The older woman spoke her eyes piercing him, "Do you think doubt justifies guilty but certainty doesn't?"

He couldn't speak, because he knew for certain Zinnia had killed Wallace, he also knew telling this woman that an eye for an eye wasn't going to get him anywheres and so he left before he could be stripped anymore bare, a lump in his throat. It was always hardest for those left behind, left to pick up the pieces. They couldn't have prepared for two young girls causing such massive heart ache among an entire region, no one could see that coming whether it was right or wrong, justified or not. He left without another word, he knew where he had to go next, and it twisted his insides into a knot: Sky Pillar. He climbed onto his Skarmory and once more flew in that direction as they got closer he could see docked in front of the building were coast guard ships. He whispered, "Go up high girl, I don't want them to see us." And so she did, when they finally reached above it and he looked down he nearly threw up. There was dried blood all over, and in the center of it all laid a human carcass, it hadn't been long enough for it to turn to bone or decompose much but it was obvious passing flying pokemon had swooped down to nibble on her in their long journey. She was missing her eyes, her hair had been ripped about, chunks and pecks of flesh and skin were gone. She was bloated and smelled terrible, it was a vision that would haunt his sleep for years he was sure. And May had done this; it was almost too much to comprehend but than again he didn't have to see Wallace down at the entrance either. He wondered just what he would have done in May's shoes. Would he have taken the high road?

He whispered, "Okay girl, let's go home." when he finally arrived home it was nearing late afternoon, the day almost completely gone. Pokemon were fast but the region was larger than any map made it seem and he knew his beloved bird was tired. He prepared some tea as he watched his Skarmory washing in the pond while nibbling on some feed he had laid out for her. He turned away when he noticed out of the corner of his eyes a red flashing light on his answering machine. May's lawyer was going to see her the next day after he had gone through the files and had an update from the prosecutors office. He was requesting a meeting after Clarence met with her. He called and left a short message at his office, "I'll be at my home waiting for you." with that he hung up and sat back with his tea for a second he was still before he threw the cup into the flames and grabbed some vodka. He didn't bother with a glass, instead he sat sipping from the bottle and wondering what else could possibly go wrong.

* * *

"Hello once more, we're in Oldale seeking peoples opinion on the scandal involving Champion May, and murder. Before we interview anyone however we have some more breaking news for you! Champion May claimed that there was a third person at Sky Pillar the day Wallace was murdered and that she is in fact the culprit who murdered our beloved Gym leader. From what we've heard the police have been working diligently to see if there is any merit in these claims or not. Late this afternoon we've received word that the police force and coast guard travelled to Sky Pillar and did, indeed, find evidence of a third person being involved. On top of the building they found the deceased body of a young girl whom the coroner said has been dead for days. They were able to track down the young ladies last remaining relatives who have indeed confirmed her identity as Zinnia, lorekeeper of the draconids. They offered no comment when asked to speak on the matter. The police also seem to be offering us no more information."

"We are left to wonder about the three people at Sky Pillar that day and the fact that only Champion May seemed to make it out alive. Is she telling the truth or did she murder them both? We're not sure, so we decided to ask the people of Hoenn what they think of their Champion now! Right now we have a nice young lady who also met Champion May pretty early on in her journey towards the championship. Miss Rebecca Stewart. She works in the local Pokemart and says on the day of May receiving her first pokemon it was her who taught her about pokemarts and pokecenters. So tell us Rebecca, do you think May is innocent or, as they say, guilty as sin?"

"Well it's kinda hard to say innit? No one really know what happened out there but those three and only May is able to tell us. So's the question is really if she is a liar or not. An' I don't think she is. I don't know her that well really, she seemed like such a nice girl when she came by. But she was only a little girl then, barely sixteen, y'see? She was real shy though, just moved here. An' even though she barely knew any of us for very long she risked her own life to save us. Sometimes I think 'bout that, y'know if I'd have been able to go to war against a group of terrorists and an angry ancient pokemon, an' I'm a full grown woman. I can't imagine it. She's very brave. I don't think someone who is capable of murder can be so selfless, so doesn't make much sense for someone as selfless as May to be a murderer."

"So are you saying you're standing with May?"

"Yessum, I am. Everyone else should too, that girl is innocent, an' it's like my momma always said, the truth will out it will!"

"Thank you! Well Oldale is such a small town we decided to head to Petalburg City. Once more May's Father, Norman Maplewood, refused to give a comment. However we did find one boy of interest who said he had been somewhat involved in the Meteor episode. He's a long-time friend of May's, he says she helped him catch his very first pokemon, his name is Wally. Welcome Wally, tell us your story please so the people know the truth."

"Well...I was out and about running errands and decided to leave my Key stone back at home, when I got back home it was missing but there was this Team Magma grunt threatening my family trying to steal it. I insisted it was gone but they didn't believe me, that's when May came and saved us. I just want everyone to know that Team Magma was up to something again and that they should be looked at as suspects too. From what I gather this Zinnia girl and Team Magma were both stealing and everything for the same thing. Zinnia tried to steal Brendan's stone too. They are thieves, but May has never been anything but a good person it's ludicrous to think she had anything to do with it."

"Thank you Wally. So it seems like there is a fourth player in this game of who done it, that maybe even May hadn't considered. It's something to think on. We'll be back with more news as we get it and of course we'll hit Rustboro next, stay tuned!"

* * *

She laid in her private cell staring at the ceiling above her, her hands folded across the ceiling, her mind was slowly fracturing into pieces. It had felt like a week had passed even though she knew it hadn't but it was like everyone in her life who professed to care for her had totally abandoned her. She hadn't heard from her family since the night she was arrested, she had called out to Steven who never responded, Brendan and his family had done nothing, nor had Wally. Wallace was gone, and that left her completely alone, she knew that if Wallace was still alive he'd be here all day and night with a chair drawn up as close as possible to her and reassuring her. She tried to hold on to his voice and the things he'd say to her but it was so hard and so painful. She wanted to remember but it hurt too much to do so.

She just wanted to give up like it seemed everyone had done with her. After everything she had done, they couldn't even be bothered to see her or even call. It was all for nothing, what was left for her? She didn't know which betrayal hurt the worse but that was a lie she knew it was Steven's. She had directly reached out to him and went ignored; like he had never cared at all. Was it all too inconvenient for him? And it hurt so much to think that Steven of all people would turn his back on her. Did he begin to believe everyone that she had killed his best friend? She was left with questions, pain, fear and loneliness and it ate at her every second of the day. Her mind and body could only take so much, and so she slipped deeper into her mind where all the hurtful thoughts and feelings couldn't touch her. Back to the times where she was happy, back to a place where she thought life would go well. When she had been so excited about meeting new people and pokemon, so hopefully in love with Steven, and everything had been going like she wanted it to.

She wished she could say everything was fine up until the day at Sky Pillar but that wouldn't be true either, it had all went wrong long before that. It went wrong when Steven and her were no longer the same they'd always had been and it was all her fault. She didn't know how to make it right anymore with him, there was no going back. She regretted every word of it, she wished it had never happened because than everything would have been okay. These thoughts pulled her back to the part of her mind that was set on torturing her, back into the memory of that day….

 _Her heart was pounding against her chest as she stared into the dark gaping opening to the Cave of Origin; she could hear Wallace's voice trying to grab her attention and cut through her fear and she struggled to get to him even though physically he was kneeling right in front of her. His hands were on her arms and he was calling her name gently, worry and fear etched into his features. "May listen to me, Okay? You don't have to do this if you don't want to, I won't force you to and I will never let alone else force you either. But if you choose to do so you need to be careful, do not risk your life more than necessary. If I could do this I would, but the orbs can only be passed on from the people at Mount Pyre, if you give them away it would torture you mad and kill the person who touched it. Do you understand?" He was pulling out potions and healing balms and revives, everything you could think of he shoved into her hands._

" _I'm sorry May, I'm sorry but come back to us okay?" Wallace was pleading with her, she looked into his eyes and nodded._

" _Of course I'll come back." She looked around at the gathering of people surrounding her. Wallace stood up and drew her into a hug,_

" _You can do this, I know you can, now go kick some ass." He said grinning, she laughed and nodded. It didn't make her fear go away but it helped some. She stepped forward and as she entered the cave she looked back. Wallace was standing with Steven who was looking at her, he was pale and not looking well. He hadn't been pleased with the decision that it would be her going in, but eventually he understood why. She could tell he wanted her to choose to stay but what choice did she have? They'd all die if she didn't at least try. She gave him an encouraging smile but for some reason this just made his face fall even more._

 _She turned away and ventured into the long and winding cave. She wondered how long this cave could go on, it zigged and zagged and circled around. For thirty minutes she travelled, the deeper she got the more unstable the cave became. She could feel the heat increasing and the ground shake, little bits of dust and rock dislodging from the ceiling and falling around her. Finally she was in a lit room, the heat nearly unbearable. She got into the magma suit and walked forward as the ground shook in a rhythm. Groudon was before her. She jumped on its back terrified of what would happen when she did. Would she fall? Would she miss? Would he attack? But the ancient pokemon just kept moving forward until she was in the innermost chamber. She dived off his back and rolled on the ground, her heart racing as she sent out her Swampert as the fiery beast roared with rage._

 _The battle didn't take long, her Swampert was strong, their mind-link more than capable of handling a fire pokemon. Which was all Groudon was in reality. The hardest part would be capturing the pokemon who was having a temper tantrum. She threw ball after ball at the weakened and dazed pokemon only for it to break free on will power alone. Finally it was captured however she didn't think about what would happen when his immense power was completely cut off. His return had caused a massive power wave that disrupted and weakened the infrastructure of the entire cave, it had been held up in the interim by his power but now that it was gone it was collapsing. She felt the ground shift as the ceiling began to collapse. She grabbed Groudon's ball and recalled her Swampert. She climbed up the ledges dodging sprays of lava and falling slabs of hot stone._

 _She finally found a door and squeezed through it; she raced through the mile long cave only keeping mere feet from the collapsing stone. It was as if it was chasing her. She was almost on the top floor when a slab fell directly to her side, so unexpected was it that she had no time to react and it sliced open her leg and pinned part of it down. Thankfully her Lucario easily pushed it aside and was holding up other pieces that were collapsing around them. She let him remain out of his ball, "Follow me!" She called to one of her most cherished pokemon. She hissed with pain as she climbed over the slabs, pulling herself along them as fast as she could with the immense pain. Finally she saw the stairs to the top floor and limped up there. By the time she could see the exit she was out of breath, bleeding and in agony but she flung herself out of the cave along with Lucario just in time as a loud thundering was heard behind her and a cloud of dust enveloped her. She collapsed, exhausted, to her knees in front of the cave. Everyone but Brendan, Wallace and Steven were gone. Her eyes watered in the dust, she itched at them furiously until the air cleared and she coughed. She could hear someone crying nearby, her eyes flew to them. Wallace was kneeling next to Steven who looked utterly devastated, Wallace himself had a grim and closed-off look on his face. As if something had been ripped out of him._

 _However the minute Wallace spotted her his face lit up, a look of relief flooded his eyes and he shook Steven and whispered in his ears. Steven's head jerked up so fast, his eyes widening as he stood up. She had never seen him run so fast, her heart was beating fast still. The aftershocks of what she had just done finally coming over her. She began to cry as it all hit her; how scared she had been and alone. When he finally reached her she was taken into his arms in a bone-crushing hug. He held her so close it was like she couldn't breathe once more. She weakly clung to him. She could feel his hands stroking her back and then carding through her hair, muttering, "Oh thank god, I thought you were dead May."_

 _She felt tears slowly slide down her dirty cheeks as she pressed her face against his shoulder. She melted into total relief when she felt him press a sweet and soft kiss to the top of her head. "I'm okay." She said smiling a little, she was so glad she got out of there, she didn't know what she would have done had she died in there without Steven even knowing how much he meant to her. Suddenly she was being pushed back from him and he was eyeing her up and down._

" _You're hurt." He said in anger and concern. She looked past him at Wallace who was beaming with pride and winking at her. She smiled and gave a small wave but he kept his distance._

" _Just my leg, got caught on some rocks." She shrugged, as he inspected it. The next few minutes were full of Steven cleaning and bandaging her wounds while he intermittently glared at Wallace as if he had done this to her. By the time he was done uncharacteristically fussing over her she was even more tired and slumped against the side of the stone cliff. She looked over at Steven who sat in front of her putting his supplies away and smiled, when he finally turned to look at her it was with a piercing look that stole her breath. It was fierce and intense._

" _I almost lost you today you know." Steven said quietly._

" _I know-"_

" _No, May, you have no idea. No idea how it was for us out here-for me. Being forced to watch you walk to what I was sure was your death than when the ground shook and we saw the cave collapsing what I knew was your death," he went silent for a bit, struggling for words when he was so uncomfortable admitting his emotions, "I tried to run in there to get you but Wallace held me back. I punched him in the mouth and almost got loose. Then you came out, and...you're alive. I don't know why you affect me so much, no one else has. What've you done to me?"_

 _Her eyes widened, and she swallowed. She didn't know quite what to say to something like that. It had totally rocked her to the core to even hear Steven speak so openly and candidly about his feelings, and than for it to be about her; it practically undid her. She felt her throat tighten and her chest become warm, before looking up at him, "Is it really that bad of a thing to happen? For you to care about me?"_

 _He gave a small smile, "Sometimes it is. When you do things like this that make me want to throttle you. I just don't like feeling this scared over someone, that you could possibly mean so much to me that I would completely lose myself in so many different ways at the very thought of you in danger. It's not who I am, or was. It's not….I don't know." he sighed in frustration at the lack of words for what he was trying to say but she knew._

" _I feel the same you know. I worry about you when you're not around. I mean I guess I get the easier job since you don't throw yourself in harms' way as much as I do." She smiled back at him._

" _Yeah I should teach you how to not do that, huh?" He held his hand out for her and helped her to the edge of the water. She dipped her hand into the clear lake and began cleaning herself off. She froze for a second when a second set of hands began to assist. She looked at the man sat next to her, her eyes meeting his as his hand seared an imprint on her leg. Reaching out she grabbed the front of his blazer and pulled him closer. Their lips colliding together in a heated kiss. Soon their arms were thrown around each other and he was leaning over her, her head leaning back as they desperately kissed one another with such passionate need. It was everything she had dreamed it would be and more, complete warmth filled her, she felt lighter, and she felt hardly any pain at all. She didn't want it to end, but it soon did._

 _Quite abruptly and violently Steven was angrily jerked away from her, her eyes flew open to find an enraged Wallace standing over Steven who was looking at the ground, "She's only seventeen Steven! Get a hold of yourself before I lose anymore respect for you than I already have." She was shocked, never before had she ever seen Wallace react in such a way. She protested as Wallace dragged him away._

" _No! You don't understand! I'm eighteen soon! It hardly matters!" She said standing up and wincing as pain lanced through her leg._

" _It matters, trust me! He's much older than you May, you don't know him as well as I do. Or his history with women. He likes to fall in love than make a run for it until he finds another one to do the same thing to. He's my best mate and I love him but I won't let him do the same thing to you." Wallace said quietly._

" _Well it's already too late anyway. I love him...I'm in love with him." She said not daring to meet Steven's eyes at her proclamation, but Wallace's looked dismayed, then turned angry as he stared down at his best friend._

 _She finally lowered her eyes to Steven who was looking at the ground, silence reigned for quite a while, her heart thudding against her rib cage. Did he have nothing to say to her? Did she misread his feelings? She bit her lip worriedly, preparing herself for the worse, but when he finally spoke minutes later it was all for nothing, because nothing could prepare herself for what he said._

" _Wallace is right May. It's not going to work out. I was just worried is all, nothing more. I shouldn't have let you kiss me, it was inappropriate. You're a good kid though, and I'm sure you'll find someone who returns your feelings, That Brendan kid was nice enough, why don't you give him a go?" Steven said with a flat voice. It felt like a slap in the face, a punch in the stomach._

 _Tears welled up in her eyes, she shook her head disbelieving, "No you're just saying that cause of Wallace it isn't true!"_

 _Steven stood up and brushed himself off, "It is true May. It's best now if you move on with your life, from this fantasy you have in your head, if you're ever going to be happy. I can't make you happy, trust me on that."_

" _But that's all I want." She said brokenly, she felt it all slipping away, she felt him slowly fading, slowly falling away from her and she couldn't grab onto the rope that tied them together._

" _I'm sorry." he whispered pathetically, with that he vanished on his Skarmory and left her standing there in pain with tears in her eyes facing a Wallace who seemed torn. He stepped towards her and she spun to face him, "I hate you. I hate you! Why did you have to do that?! Why couldn't you just let us be happy together for once? Or is it because you're miserable you can't find another faggot to be with so no one else can be in love either?!" She spat at him angrily, wanting to hurt him as much as she was hurting._

She had been successful of course, she'd never forget the look of pure hurt and pain in Wallace's eyes when those vile words left her mouth. She had always had such an anger problem, the minute she was hurt she had to pass it on. Pass it back tenfold to the person who she thought gave it to her. And she had torn into Wallace in a way that was so cruel she still felt ashamed at the memory. She whispered, "I'm sorry Wallace, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, please come back." She felt the tears well up once more. "I guess you were right about Steven all along. I'm sorry."

It had taken so long for Wallace to forgive her, but even as vile and disgusting as she had been all he had said was, "One day you'll understand May, and I am so sorry for that." Before he had walked off. Immediately she felt sorry for what she had said, Wallace was the closest thing she'd ever had to a father and she had been so scared she had pushed him away. So ashamed she couldn't show her face around Sootopolis for months. Finally nearly six months after she challenged him at his gym and after the battle he presented her the badge, when he went to turn away in silence she had grabbed his hand and stopped him. "I'm so sorry Wallace. Please forgive me, I didn't mean what I said I was just angry. I don't think of you that way. I love you." All it had taken was for him to meet her eyes and instantly the warmth was back and he invited her for tea once more.

Her mind drifted from Wallace back to Steven, mulling him over. It had been a mistake admitting her true feelings to her. She didn't talk to him for an entire year, until the day she had to face him as Champion and that's when it got worse.

 _She faced the impossibly tall and large doors to the Champion's room. She was so close but her heart was pounding. She knew this trainer would be even tougher than the others. She didn't know how to feel about that as most of them were easy. They had used one type, the first room was dark type, that was easy enough with her lucario, the next was ghost, she had used her fairy pokemon Gardevoir. Next was ice, and dragon both she used lucario for but from what she heard the Champions pokemon would be more diverse and much more strong. She healed up her pokemon and encouraged them, petting them and making sure they wanted to carry on. Usually one of them complained but they all had such fierce determined expressions in their eyes she beamed with pride and affection._

 _She walked into the room only to stop short once stood in front of the person she was to face. It felt like all the air was knocked out of her as she looked at the back of the man before her. Just like when they first met. Steven turned around, with a mixture of happiness, sorrow and shame. There was silence for a while and she didn't know if she could carry on, she wanted to turn back and flee. She couldn't do this, not with this man. She'd throw all her dreams away so long as she never had to face the man who had ripped her heart out. It was easy to feel the pain but even easier when the anger came flooding through and she straightened back up a bitter look on her face._

" _May I-" He started_

" _Just shut the hell up and battle me. We're not friends. This is business." She said coldly, inside she felt like she was being split in two but she would not waver on the outside. Hard as stone she'd be._

 _He nodded and threw out his first pokemon, she smirked and the battle ensued, until they were both down to one pokemon left with the ability to battle, my Swampert versus his Metagross, she smirked. She had this easily, she easily called out her move and when the earthquake subsided and Metagross was laying unconscious on the ground she smirked. She called her pokemon back and stood victorious in the hall. Elation spread through her, and she stood tall.; she had finally beaten down the man who had tormented her dreams and broken her heart. Steven was quiet for a while unable to come up with words before he finally said, "You have done well. I expected no less. Let's go record your victory in the hall of fame." And with that they entered the dark room_

 _A sliver of light lit their path to a machine where she placed her pokeballs, her pokemon healing up immediately as they appeared on screen, but she only had eyes for the man in front of her. He looked at her sadly, "I never meant to hurt you."_

" _I find that hard to believe when you completely destroyed me with your dismissal as if I meant nothing and was nothing to you but a silly school girl. I told you I loved you and I actually meant it but you threw me away like I was nothing. So why should it be any different now?" She said bitterly._

" _You don't understand; it has to be this way. I could never make you happy." He said quietly, "It always ends the same for me."_

" _Maybe that's because you treat woman like throw-away ragdolls and don't care about anyone's feelings but your own." She spat viciously._

" _How could you say that when..did you honestly think that kiss meant nothing to me?" Steven pondered out loud_

" _It obviously didn't mean much to you. What do you think I go around kissing every boy I meet?"_

 _She raised her eyebrows_

" _Brendan follows you around like some puppy dog, what am I supposed to think? Anyway, Wallace was right, you're too young." He sighed running his fingers through his hair._

 _She laughed coldly, "Too young? Too young for what? Fighting off terrorists that even the great old champion of Hoenn couldn't handle? For defeating some ancient beast hell bent on killing us all? Nearly dying five times over for you? Exactly when was I too young? When the entire world was placed on my shoulders?"_

 _She could see his face heat up with shame before he spoke, "It was never meant to be that way. I admit we put too much on your shoulders. You were too young. How could I add on to that?"_

" _Because I wanted this, I didn't want anything else. But you, I had wanted you. I would have given everything up to have you. Not that it mattered. So long as you get what you want right? You don't want me do you?" She looked down at the floor, what was meant to be a happy memory turning into a sour one full of bitter resentment._

" _It's not appropriate May. You can find happiness, but I'm not the one for you." He said softly._

" _Well I'm so glad you made the decision for both of us." She spoke in a flat voice, fighting the tears that were threatening to overtake her. She quickly shoved her pokeballs into her bag and turned around. "I'm sorry I ever told you I loved you."_

" _I am too." was the last thing she heard before she left the room, finding Brendan waiting for her._

She sighed, so much had been said but so little that was actually meant. Of course she still loved Steven, or it wouldn't have hurt so much. It wouldn't still hurt that he couldn't even be bothered to visit her. She had given up trying to convince him, why should she have to chase him? Not that it had helped one bit. She thought maybe after telling him off she would have felt better but all it did was make it worse. It had made it all worse, it had driven home the point that Steven would never be hers. She had everything that most people dreamed of, but how could she tell anyone she'd trade it in for him to love her? All the cameras in her face, the pens and papers shoved in her hands; she had signed so many autographs her hands were calloused and blistered. All the money anyone could possibly want, fame and power. The world was at her feet, but she wanted more, how greedy was she to ask for one more thing?

She had felt the guilt building as she travelled aimlessly through Hoenn; so many were struggling to make ends meet and she could do whatever she wanted. They were happy with what little they had but she could never be; not without Steven. She felt cold for days afterwards, and who knows how long she would have went being that way, alone and empty. Steven and her bitter enemies. He had hurt her so badly but a few days later they had made it back to friends. She could never deny him, but she had been sure that was it for them until….

 _It has been three miserable days since she had become the Pokemon League Champion, three days since her big blow out with Steven. She had went not only to fulfill her dreams and to prove to him that he wasn't going to stop her but also for some closure. However, all she had accomplished with his help was to rip into her raw wounds and cut into her heart even deeper. She felt exposed, completely left barren by this man. As if the whole world could see her vulnerability and would soon attack her. She felt naked. And when everything had been said she couldn't bare to be around him, the very air became suffocatingly thick._

 _She ran because the idea of being anywhere near where he was, was unbearable. Completely unthinkable, so obsessed she was that she thought of him all the time. She wanted nothing more than to be with him, to make him happy like he used to make her. It would never happen, and any place near him brought too many memories of him back. Too many reminders of what could never be. So she had travelled to a different region; her parents were not pleased with her decision to make a run for it in Kalos but she didn't care. She no longer needed their permission for anything._

 _So she had left on a ferry and had arrived merely twelve hours later in Kalos. She spent days exploring the region and finally she was just too tired to continue her attempt at out-walking her memories. She slumped against the bar, taking large sips of her White Russian as two girls screeched out a horrible song on the karaoke. She finished off one glass and started on the next one, ignoring the look of disdain on the bartenders face. She stared in a haze at the mirror behind the bar, she looked like crap. Her clothes were dirty and dishevelled, her hair frizzy and barely in place, her eyes were dull and her shoulders slumped. She felt completely crushed. Although the fact that she smelled better than the man next to her brought her some hope. The tub of lard perched on the poor bar stool next to her had sweat stains under his pits and smelled like greasy burger joint. He was large and unkempt, wearing a simple t-shirt and torn jeans, a pony-tail of curly dirty-blonde hair stuck out from his baseball cap as he belched and slammed his beer can down._

 _She knew he was stealing glances of her every so often, and she groaned inwardly when he turned to her, "You know miss, you're much too pretty to look so sad."_

 _She didn't answer, she didn't have the energy to pretend she wanted anything to do with this man and so she didn't move an inch or speak a word. "Ah you're a quiet one. Come to drown your sorrows, eh? Well this is good a place as any. Names' Kevin, anyone ever tell you you look like that May girl from Hoenn?"_

 _She sighed and took a long gulp of her drink, holding it in her mouth a bit so she could taste the vodka in it before letting it burn a path down her throat. "Sometimes." She spoke as she gathered strength for what she dreaded. "But my name is Lola." She definitely did not want to be noticed by anyone let alone this man._

" _That's a pretty name. So what? A fella got you down?" He asked smiling creepily._

" _Something like that." She said, as he ordered her another drink. The music changed to something slower and she swayed along, humming the song under her breath_

" _You have a nice voice, you know music always makes me feel better you should go sing about it." He said smiling._

 _She blushed, "No no, I don't think I'm the best singer." She was on her third drink and feeling a bit woozy._

" _Nonsense, anyway if you do suck everyone here is too drunk, they'll think you're great anyway." He said encouragingly._

" _Fine." And so she had gotten up, feeling her legs dragging her up to the stage. She sat on a stool there and waited for them to find her backing track. It was an ancient song, but one she felt more deeply now than she ever had. As the soft piano began to play, she sang, "Turn down the lights, turn down the bed, turn down these voices inside my head. Lay down with me and tell me no lies. Just hold me closely, don't patronize...don't patronize me. Cause I can't make you love me if you don't…." The haunting and heart-felt tune fell from her lips with such ease and beauty every eye was on her. She barely noticed though, she was lost in the truth of the song and when it finally ended and she stepped down it was to alot of cat-calling and applause. The man was grinning as she sat back down._

" _Feel a little better?" He said grinning at her lop-sidedly._

" _A little yeah. Feels like poison inside of me, eating away." She admitted to him. After six drinks she was barely able to stand and not coherent. The bartender was out right glaring at her and refusing to give her anymore. The man beside her wrapped his arm around her waist._

" _Don't worry Miss, I'll help you home." He said gently as he led her out. She tried to push away, he had been nice enough but she didn't know him and didn't want him to know where she was staying but she was so far gone that her arms barely put any struggle up. He chuckled as he pushed the side door up and led her into the side alley. She felt dizzy as they walked down the stairs, and she leaned away from him and leaned against the building as the world spun. He could feel him close to her, his body heat was making her nauseas._

 _Suddenly there was a hand rubbing her back and his voice was trying to soothe her, "It'll be okay miss, we just got to get you home, an' you can get into a bath. You'll feel better in the morning." She closed her eyes, trying to correct her vision when she felt his hands at her waist. At first she thought he was trying to pull her away from the wall but then he was rubbing her sides. She moved away from the odd touch but met with the hard brick wall. A spark of fear entered her drunken mind but she was too weak and out of it to really do anything. His hands travelled over stomach and upwards until his hands cupped her breasts and squeezed hard. She winced, and felt like throwing up. She sunk into the wall and whimpered, "No...stop.."_

 _He chuckled, "Shh it's alright..you're such a pretty girl…" his hand ripped open her shirt, her nipples hardened in the cool night air. She gagged as she could feel his calloused hands on her flesh. She moved to the side and tried to fall but she was encased by him on all sides. "Please don't….leave me 'lone." She felt tears spring to her eyes. Suddenly the man was ripped away from her and she collapsed to the ground, tears fell from her eyes as she weakly turned around to see what happened. A tall shadow was standing over the large man who was now bleeding. Again and again the shadow-man hit the man who had molested her until finally he lay unconscious. Everything went quiet and still until the shadow turned to her and she drew her knees up to cover and protect herself._

 _When he came forward she finally recognized who it was, and her eyes widened, she drunkenly slurred out "Steven?" The Silver-haired man was looking at her with worry and concern. It was like the drink had made her forget everything, she was so happy to see him._

" _May." He said softly as he came forward stripping himself of his blazer and throwing it around her. She barely acknowledged it as he leaned in to wrap it more securely about her she latched on to him._

" _Steven." She whispered, "You saved me." Her head rested against his shoulder, and she just started to bawl. She could feel him stiffen but relaxed as he gently hugged her._

" _Do you think so little of me now that you'd possibly think I could ever let someone do that to you?" He whispered in a low voice, as if she had stabbed him. He wrapped her up in his arms and lifted her to her feet. She couldn't balance at first but finally leaning on him for most of her support she managed to walk. "God how drunk did you get May?"_

" _S'trying to forgets you. Nosso easy to forget three years." She slurred and rested her head once more on his shoulder, "Whas' you doin here?"_

" _I was on my way to see Professor Sycamore actually." He said quietly as he led her to a taxi, helping her in, he slid in after, "Hotel Richissime please." The driver muttered about drunks before beginning the drive. Steven looked beside him and frowned at her. Her head bumped against the glass every pothole they hit until Steven pulled her to him._

 _They finally arrived in his room and he laid her on the bed. She smiled up at him, "S'ok if you want to." He looked back at her in disgust._

" _Don't you ever say that to me again." he angrily said, kicking off his shoes, she curled up on the bed as he threw open his suitcase and dug around in it, coming out with a white t-shirt he threw it at her. But when she struggled to undo the buttons on the blazer he sighed and batted her hands away. Her eyes fixed on him as he pulled off his own jacket. He tried not to look but couldn't help it when he saw the dark bruise beginning to form around her breasts. He hissed, an angry look coming over his face as he roughly took off her shirt and quickly slid one of his own on her. "Do you have any idea what could have happened to you if I hadn't found you?! How irresponsible could you be?!" He shouted._

 _She held her aching head in her hands and nodded, "I know m'sorry. N'I still love you." And with that she began to cry again, she heard him sigh in exasperation before he sat on the edge of the bed._

" _I know you do," was all he could say, "I love you too." he whispered, hoping she forgot all of this in the morning, he simply stroked her hair until she fell asleep._

Ever since then things had been weird between them. She had returned with him after he did his business in Kalos but it had been bumpy. On one hand she was still angry and hurt over what he had done but on the other she remembered his voice that night telling her he loved her so there was some hope. That maybe if she could get past his barriers and find out why he didn't think they could be together that perhaps they could make it work. So many people had told her to move past him but she couldn't see herself with anyone else, she didn't want anyone else. Even now as she lay in her jail cell all she wanted was to see his face, to hear his voice and hold is hand. She sighed as she heard the guard unlocking her cell, "Detective Harrison wishes to have another conversation with you." With that she was led back to the cold and empty interrogation room.

Harrison already sat at the table when she threw herself into the chair, she looked at the table numbly as he opened his notepad once more and drew his pen from his suit pocket. "We've been to Sky Pillar Miss Maplewood. We've ascertained that a young girl named Zinnia was in fact there. However she was dead. So whle you were telling the truth about her existence you lied to us. You said when you returned from space she was gone. But we found her on the roof dead. Care to tell us what happened?"

She shrugged but said nothing, she had told him she had nothing to say to him the last time and she meant it. Her mind was racing, she had said it but now what? How could she possibly explain that away? It was better for her to keep her silence than incriminate herself further.

"Do you want to know what I think? I think you went to Sky Pillar following this Zinnia girl. You knew only she had the ability to summon Rayquaza, and command him around but you wanted that glory. When you found Wallace there, he stopped you and you killed him, than when you reached the top you found she had already summoned her and killed her. You took Rayquaza for yourself and destroyed the meteor. You have all this fame and influence and you thought you could just talk it all away. But you were the only one who made it out alive that day. You are the common tie between all three of you. You killed them both didn't you?" He said quietly.

She shook her head silently, her heart hammering away in her chest. He sighed, "Okay lets try another theory. Wallace got there before you and Zinnia saw him. She thought he was going to interfere or stop her. So she killed him to perform her duty. When you arrived and saw Wallace you knew it had to be Zinnia, so you went up and killed her in vengeance. That's why you brought Wallace back, and went to his funeral, but left her there, isn't it?"

She remained quiet but her head moved to the left, her arms folding across her chest, she could see his head come up sharply, his eyes glinting as he hit the nail on the head but she didn't speak a word. "That's what happened didn't it?" But she remained quiet, another sigh was heard before he coughed and said, "Very well, obviously you and I don't see eye to eye in this. Perhaps my partner, who seems to know your mind a bit better can talk with you." The next thing she knew she was facing a younger man with blonde hair and grey eyes, he had a patchy beard and a smile on his face. "Hello May. My name's Adam. I'm sorry this all has happened. I know how hard it is to lose a loved one. My dad died when I was younger. So I know how hard Wallace's death must have hit you. I never suspected you for that by the way. I'm glad to find out I was right."

She let her eyes drift over to him, she was torn. She did want to tell someone the truth and he was very kind and warm but she also knew logically this was a game, they were trying to draw her out. As hard as it was she kept her eyes on him but said nothing.

"I can tell how angry you were when we examined Zinnia's body," he shoved the crime scene photos in front of her, "That's quite some rage. I admit my dad died of cancer, so I can't fully wrap my mind around someone you love being murdered but I can understand why you're so angry."

She just shook her head and picked at her fingers nervously, he leaned forward a bit, "The issue is no matter what that girl did it doesn't justify you dealing with it yourself."

She felt a bubble of condescending disdain rise up in her and travel out of her mouth in the form of a cold laugh, "That's a bit of a joke isn't it? I don't have to deal with it myself, are you kidding me? Where were you all when Team Magma was taking over and trying to kill us all? Where were you all when the meteor was coming towards us? I'll tell you where: you were too busy sitting on your fat asses being lazy and so you let a child deal with it because you're too fucking incompetent to even figure out which end is your ass and which end is your head."

All of a sudden the door opened and in walked a man about five foot seven wearing an expensive suit and carrying a briefcase. "Say no more May," he stood at her side and placed his briefcase on the table hard and looked down at the detective, "My name is Clarence Oswald. I'm May's lawyer and your questioning stops here. My client has refused to contact with you as of last nights interrogation, and anything said since has been unlawfully obtained and will not be making it into a court of law." he threw what looked like a pamphlet of paper in front of the detective, "That's a motion to suppress. Now if you would please escort May and I to a private room for us to talk that would be fantastic."

The detective looked up stunned, then quickly studied the paperwork, he frowned as he found the judges signature and stood up. "Fine, right this way." May was smiling as she followed both the detective and her new lawyer out of the room and into a much more hospital one. It was clear of cameras and microphones, there was no mirrors or windows but simply tables, chairs and couches, along with a plasma tv. Clarence turned around, "Why is she so skinny? Have you even fed her since she's been here? Looking at her itinerary, you haven't. That's mistreatment of a prisoner detective. Luckily for you I brought her something, I wouldn't forget it again." with that he snapped the door closed in the detectives protesting face and May couldn't help but chuckle.

She already admired the man, her eyes lit up as he brought out some McDonalds, "I know it isn't the best food, but I wanted to get here fast. This precinct is one known for cutting corners and bending rules." He sat across from her on the couch.

She quickly opened her quarter pounder and fries, and took a sip from the soda; it was her favorite: root beer. "Thanks, but how did you know this was my favorite?"

"Mister Stone and I had a long discussion about you and when I realized you hadn't eaten I called him up. Eat up, we'll talk afterwards. No rush to get you back in that cell when you shouldn't be here at all." He said in his deep rumbling voice. She dug in hungrily listening as the man told her of his credentials and how he knew the Stones. She was elated that he was here, not only for her defense but also that he was living proof that Steven was doing everything he could to assist her.

She finally finished her food and looked up, "Thank you. So Um….where do we start?" She felt uncomfortable, having no knowledge of being in this sort of situation she felt vulnerable.

"I've gone over the particulars of your case and my dear, I believe we'll win this. They have no evidence but what they think happened, meanwhile you got the entire region behind you along with so much reasonable doubt it's ridiculous." He opened her file and showed her the notes he had made and for once she felt hopeful that she'd get away with it.

"You know I really di-" She began before he held his hand up.

"No do not tell me anything." He said in a stern voice, "Best for me to be blissfully ignorant."

And so they went over her case detail by detail.

* * *

"Hello Folks! Gabby here once more with one big apology! Due to some bad weather we couldn't air the last few interviews but we have indeed covered a few more towns! Our first stop was Rustboro town where we talked to Mr Stone, the CEO of Devon Corporation and father to Steven Stone, May's friend and previous Pokemon League Champion! We also talked to the Gym leader there as well, Roxanne! We started with Mister Stone however and lets' view that clip!"

"So Mister Stone, can you tell us what you think of Champion May?"

"Oh she's a trustworthy lass that one. Honest to nails. We met when she helped a few of my employees out of a bind! I gave her a package and some letters and sent her on her way to find my son! Everything got where it was meant to be."

"I see, and the public want to know, is young May in a relationship with your son?"

"Heavens no! My Steven has been nothing but a mentor to her. They help each other out but nothing more. I couldn't ever see my son settling down with anyone to be honest, too in love with his rocks he is."

"One more question, there were rumors that during the Meteor crisis Team Magma came to steal something from you?"

"Well more from my son. He had some machinery that would help save the earth, and Team Magma wanted it for their own plans. They thought he'd come here first, but alas he didn't even stop by. He went straight to the space center. Team Magma roughed me up a bit but otherwise they left quickly."

"Are you concerned that the police aren't even looking into team magma's involvement?"

"Concerned? Yes of course. Surprised they are not? No. They let that terrorist group come into power once, why would it be any different now. I daresay they may in fact be benefiting off that group in some dirty underhanded way. Why else wouldn't they at least question them?"

"Yes it is very curious indeed isn't it? Thank you Mister Stone! Now lets hear from you Roxanne, you met May a few times what did you think?"

"That little tyke? She was a real kicker that one. Full of a quiet confidence but also quite shy. I can't say much about her to be honest. We didn't really talk that much but our battle she showed alot of care for her pokemon and was entirely focused. She completely destroyed us. I was happy to hand over the badge to her."

"Thank you! Well thats' all we have for Rustboro, lets' take it to the next town, Slateport City!"

 **…** **...**

"Today we meet with a few townsfolk and businessman who said they met our current Champion in the Seashore house on Route 109. So what do you lot think of her?"

"She was brilliant at battling, so strong and determined! And to see how far she's gone, I think the lot of us all agree that she may be physically capable of doing something horrible because of how strong she is but I don't think she has it in her emotionally. I mean she fought so hard for us to live."

{They all nodded}

"I see. And over here is Captain Stern! You have quite a story to tell about May, don't you?"

"Aye I do. She saved me quite a few times from Team Magma, they tried to steal my package and then stole my submarine. She got them both back for me and made sure I wasn't harmed. There ain't many young people nowadays who give a damn about us older folks, but May has a good heart and what those cops are doing to her is wrong and disgusting. They blaming her cause they're too lazy to find the real culprit. That's what it is."

"Yes quite a few have said that. Thank you Captain Stern. That's all for today, next is Lilycove, Mauville and Sootopolis City!"

* * *

When Steven finally convinced himself to go home and sleep or he'd be useless to May, he didn't expect to find someone there. He had locked the door and yet as he walked in he found Maxxie, the leader of Team Magma sat in an armchair facing the door with a glass of whiskey in his hands. Steven's eyes narrowed and he briskly shut the door with a loud snap, "Well what do you want?" Steven snapped as he flung off his shoes in exhaustion, he sat down and rubbed his sore feet. Maxxie leaned forward.

"Been thinking about May is all. How she got herself into this jam." Maxxie said his eyes scanning Steven's face for something. "Well, did she do it then?"

Steven glanced up sharply and placed his feet back on the floor, he wanted to roll his eyes and chuckle but unfortunately it wasn't a laughing matter anymore. "Of course not. She would never kill Wallace."

He watched as Maxxie's left eyebrow rose and cursed himself. He sighed as Maxxie smirked, "So it's true then, that she killed Zinnia?"

Steven soundlessly jumped up from the couch without a word, anger flowing through him. His emotions were right on the surface after not having slept in such a long time, the stress was pushing him over the edge. His hands grabbed onto Maxxie and ripped up his shirt, then check his ears and shoes. He took a scanner over him and found nothing on him but his pokenav which he switched off. Sitting back down, he ignored the glare he was receiving from the red-haired man before him. "Had to make sure you weren't bugged, don't give me that look. Can never trust you one bit."

"You hurt me Steven really. Direct hit, a mortal wound...I shall never recover…" Maxxie quipped one after another.

"What do you want?" He said with exasperation. He couldn't help but long for a shower then bed, even food could wait until he woke up, but this infuriating man was in his way.

"Well been watching the news, haven't I? Got me thinking about things. What's the truth of it all?" Maxxie said frowning

A headache was blossoming in his head, "Why do you need to know Maxxie?"

He watched the older man struggle before he said, "I've done many things wrong Steven. So many and I never once answered for it because of her. And now she's in this position when I should be going to jail for life. I don't see any rhyme or reason to it anymore. It's like the balance of karma has gone off the rails."

"I think they want to make an example of May to be honest. Send a strong message that no matter what you've done or who you are you are not above the law." He said pouring himself some whiskey.

"I'm in a precarious position at the moment, you've seen the news I take it? People have been whispering about my organization, the police been looking for us. I've been thinking about whose guilt carries more weight, mine or May's. It's an easy choice isn't it?" Maxxie said as he stared into his glass.

Steven's eyes sharpened, his tired mind racing to conclusions and it dawned on him what Maxxie was saying, "Now they know Team Magma was involved somehow, but they don't know to what extent."

Maxxie nodded, "Yes all they seem to know is that we were chasing Zinnia and what she was after. It all look as if I had something big planned instead of it just being a wayward fanatic follower of mine trying to please me."

Steven went quiet, his mind was now sprinting all over the places, a sick feeling creeping up his throat as he realized the man before him had May's entire life in his hands. Would he make the right call? Could he even ask Maxxie to do what he was thinking? Was it right? So many questions filled him. He looked up when he heard the clinking of a bottle against glass.

"Too many years I have hurt others, by no means can this one big thing redeem me. I've murdered, I've stolen, I've kidnapped and held hostage. I've done everything wrong in my life. It's time I accepted the consequences of my actions and try for some sort of redemption." Maxxie said quietly.

"Going to play martyr are you?" Steven said skeptically, Maxxie's face was dark but deteremined.

"I'm going to martyr the shit out of myself." He said grinning a little. "Just got to put the pieces together, don't we?"

Steven put his empty glass down and walked over, he held out his hand to Maxxie and pulled him up. "It'll be easy. All you have to do is get noticed. Let's say commit a crime that points directly to Sky Pillar."

Maxxie nodded, "I've been thinking that, you got any ideas?"

"One or two, you ever been interested in stealing a legendary pokemon from a pokemon professor?" Steven said with a glint in his eyes.

* * *

"Hello folks! On our journey across Hoenn to see whose side you're on, we've finally made it to Lilycove, Sootopolis and Mossdeep. Unfortunately we won't be getting any interviews because the police are too busy trying to silence the rioters who have at times turned violent. The three cities are up in arms and furious at the police. One bystander told us that it was all about the fact that Team Magma, a very well-known terrorist group, was involved with the meteor and sky pillar situation, but haven't even been questioned while Champion May has been kept in prison. This has sparked outrage among the region, and every minute there are more reports of people joining the protest. No one as of yet has been hurt, but be careful out there folks!"

* * *

He stood tall and proud in front of the large corkboard full of crime scene photos and an ever changing timeline of events. His face was hard and set, his eyes gleaming in puzzlement as he tried to figure things out. None of it made a lot of sense to him and he hated that he couldn't see through the events of that day like he usually could. Footsteps behind him alerted him to the presence of his partner who looked at the board then simply said, "Perhaps we should be looking elsewhere."

Harrison shook his head, "No, she did it. She did something I can feel it."

His partner sighed, "No one can prove it, all we can prove is that she was there and she saved the world, again. It's like you always said to me, you make your theory fit the evidence, you don't fit the evidence to your theory."

He frowned and gruffly said, "You think that's what I'm doing? There's something to be said about following your gut."

"That's exactly what you're doing sir, otherwise why haven't we checked out Team Magma. We could bring down that entire organisation if we at least check them out as viable suspects. They were involved somehow."

"Do you think it's the right thing to do to convict someone because it's easier, even if they're not guilty?" He raised an eyebrow

"You have no proof they aren't guilty and no proof she is. You're hell bent on convicting what may be an innocent girl to make an example of her to stroke your ego," His partner said coldly, "I'm going after Team Magma with or without you."

* * *

"Good Evening everyone! We're here in Mossdeep tonight, as you can see behind me is a massive crowd, all picketing and protesting May's imprisonment, there is a smaller group to the left that we want to interview. So let's go see them! This is Miss Addrianna Smith, what would you like to say?"

"Well I just think this entire thing is one big joke. The police know what they are doing and if they have reason to suspect May than she should be in prison, just because she's some big celebrity doesn't mean she should be treated any differently."

"Don't you think though that everything May has done for this region should be taken into consideration?"

"No I don't. It's a murder case, and if she's guilty she's guilty. Just because you've gone and done something selfless and brilliant a few times doesn't give you license to commit murder or a ticket out of jail. I took care of my Grandma when she was ill and passed away, does that mean I can just walk up to someone and kill them? No. And it's no different for May."

"That's all very true thank you Miss Smith. Now as you can see the crowd is split. Whether May has done it or not no one knows. Not to worry though we'll be there at the trial and bring you the news as it happens."

* * *

Adam frowned in confusion, he was halfway through Team Magma's hideout when his scanner went off, he listened closely as words filtered through the static, "Magma...Littleroot….Fire…" He straightened up and ran to the entrance. It took him a while to navigate out of the winding and twisting hallways filled with confusing teleportation pads but when he finally could see the sky and smell the fresh air he threw his pokemon out and flew to Littleroot town. He could see the plume of smoke from Mauville, but when he arrived it was to a scene of chaos and disaster.

Professor Birch's lab was up in flames, pokemon were running around in fear as the lab technicians tried to coax them back into their balls. Others were lining up the pokemon that had died by the trees surrounding the small village. Everyone was outside, coughing, eyes watering, and shivering.

"What's going on?" He shouted over to the Professor who had his son tucked underneath his arm and looked grim.

"It was Team Magma, they broke in. I heard my alarms going off and decided to check it out, when I got to the lab I found Maxxie sorting through May's pokeballs. He didn't know I was there but he was muttering about finding the one that held Rayquaza." The professor said in a rush, his eyes lingering on the dead pokemon, "May's going to be devastated."

He looked over at the building and said, "Where is Maxxie? Did he get ahold of Rayquaza?"

The Professor shook his head, "No, May had Rayquaza on her, or she released him. He never came to me through the PC."

Adam nodded and once more took flight on his pokemon. He had to find where May left her pokemon, he thought he knew where they would be. She had been staying with Steven before, everyone knew that now due to the blasted news. He hoped Steven wasn't home, god knows what Maxxie would do to him if he were to get in the way of Team Magma. It was going to be hard enough sleeping with the vision of all those dead pokemon laid to rest among the trees. He certainly didn't want to add a human life on top of it all.

When he finally landed in Mossdeep he ran over to Steven's house, he knew he was correct in his assumption when he heard the screaming and crashes coming from inside. He didn't wait a second to break the door down; inside he saw Maxxie's pokemon in horrible condition and Steven standing victorious over the Team Magma leader who was cursing Steven out and screaming at him to hand over Rayquaza. He sent out his own pokemon and told him to freeze. "Maxxie you are under arrest for arson, murder of several pokemon and breaking and entering, and attempted armed robbery." He easily cuffed the rage filled man and called it in.

Minutes later there were several policemen and woman milling about, taking pictures and taking statements. He quickly filled his partner in and they drove back to the precinct to interrogate Maxxie. The man seemed much more calm in the interrogation room, he sat opposite of him with folded hands. "So Maxxie, want to tell us what has gone on lately? Why we have reports of your involvement in the meteor crisis and what happened tonight?"

The red-suited man sighed and said in a quiet voice, "I will not speak without a deal. I know the outcome for me is bleak even if I didn't speak a word but I need to know that the people I have ordered around for the last few years will not be punished for my misbehavior. I do care about them as they have stayed loyal to me."

"I can certainly see if I can have that arranged. I don't see why we couldn't. If that's all you'll say without a deal I'll see you soon." he got up and walked out. He felt his spirits lifting, for once they might get something right. He had no worries that the district attorney wouldn't cut the deal, she had been on their asses trying to get the truth and the main person behind this all. And so he found himself passing his partner who was frowning at him and heading into the woman's office.

"Ma'am I think we have the culprit responsible for the Sky Pillar incident, however he refuses to talk until he has a deal. He wants amnesty for his associates and in return will speak what he knows."

The brunette looked up at him with her sharp features and fiery brown eyes, "Do you think his information is valuable enough for us to pardon so many people?"

"I believe he either knows the entire truth or is responsible for it himself. I know he's a lying terrorist but he was caught red-handed tonight, he already knows he's going away for life. At this point no other charges could put him away longer. There's nothing left for him to lose." He said quietly. He had seen this often enough, people willing to confess often had no hopes of a better future.

"Very well. However if this backfires Adam, let me tell you it will fall on your shoulders. Your partner disagrees with you, I'm willing to do this for you only because he's retiring soon and his head may not be in the game as much as yours is." with that she pulled out the paperwork needed. It only took an hour to get all the signatures and terms down and with that he walked back over to the interrogation room.

Slamming the piece of paper down in front of the man he sat down and watched him read it. "You have what you want, now it's your turn to uphold your half of the deal. Speak."

Maxxie nodded, "Very well. After Groudon was defeated most of my people split. They were disappointed and disillusioned. I lost most of my power and influence. However a few stayed on, my most loyal supporters still believed in the cause. A better tomorrow without insignificant worthless humans running around. We wanted to advance society with only the fittest of humans, not the weak ones. We had to wait though, rebuild our forces and wait for the opportune time. So when the meteor was going to hit I knew the people with the most influence would have some grand scheme to rid themselves of the threat. I knew we'd see power like we haven't before."

"I sent out spies to different regions. Some lived in Meteor falls and in the Devon corporation. Some in your own department. Some in the science and pokemon labs. I wanted to know everything. It was only a few days later I was getting so many different reports. Some were talking about an old legend about Rayquaza, others about another dimension and the ultimate weapon used so long ago. Both of these seemed very promising to me. I, of course, wanted to go after the weapon and the dimensional issue first. I had dealt with legendary pokemon before and they are assholes. However in my quest to gain control of what they needed for this weapon we came across an issue not only with May's interference but this girl, Zinnia's as well. It was really quite annoying."

"We tried to keep ahead of them but she beat us to it every time. Steven didn't even live up to our expectations. We held his father up only to find he had gone to the space center. Somehow Zinnia knew he would and got there before us. She destroyed our only hope of using that science against them by crushing the shifter. So all that was left was the legendary pokemon route. We did some research and found Rayquaza is much more powerful than Groudon was, but not quite as destructive. This was perfect. However we had no idea where to begin the search, so we went to the girls' home. Meteor falls and we interrogated the girls' family. They were a tough nut to crack, but finally we got the truth out of them. They told us to go to Sky Pillar and told us it was near a town we'd never heard of before. We mapped it out right there in the cave and when we left we saw Zinnia running up to the cave. We easily took her hostage, it would be much easier if she could summon the dragon. She told us May had already taken control of it but from what the Draconids said they could still summon him if need be. So I took her back to Sky Pillar to do just that. When I finally arrived it was empty. No one was there, not even Wallace's body. We marched her to the top and told her to summon the beast."

"She refused of course, she said that the dragon wouldn't listen to her anymore because she had taken a human life in his temple. A double sin to the great Rayquaza. We thought she was bluffing so I tortured her. I used a knife mostly, but first I killed her pokemon, mine were much stronger than hers. So it was easy. She still wouldn't try it. After a few hours we left her there and decides to reconvene in the hideout to make plans to steal Rayquaza from May. Which is what happened tonight. We thought he'd be there, so we set the place on fire and searched for him but he never came." Maxxie fell silent.

Adam had never heard absolute silence until that moment. He had nothing left to say, or hear, it was all there. The pieces fell quite easily into place. May had been telling the truth, Zinnia had left, she hadn't killed anyone. "You are under arrest for the murder of Draconid Zinnia." He read Maxxie his rights and dragged him to the cell.

His face grim, but his heart lifting a bit as he turned towards May's cell and unlocked it. He explained everything to her, and led her to a room. "We'll need someone to come pick you up. Do you want me to call your father?"

She snorted, "Don't bother. He certainly won't. Call Steven, please."

* * *

"Good evening folks! We have some breaking news for you tonight! Earlier this evening there was an arson in Littleroot town, the hometown of Champion May. The Pokemon lab, headed up by Professor Birch, was lit on fire by Team Magma in their search for the legendary pokemon Rayquaza, rumored to be in May's possession. The police were quick to arrest the leader of this terrorist group, Maxxie, within the hour. And from what we've heard there has been a deal with the District Attorney's office which has led Maxxie to confess to all his crimes. Including the murder of the young Draconid Zinnia who is accused of killing Wallace. May has been cleared of all charges! It's a night of rejoicing, and celebration as our hero goes home and for once this terrorist is being punished!"

* * *

Her heart was thrumming fast and hard, a mixture of emotions welling up in her. She was free and that was a great relief to her, however she also knew Maxxie wasn't guilty of it either, she frowned. She didn't feel too guilty though as he had done terrible things to people and got away with it. No, what was bothering her the most was the empty and alone feeling she still carried around with her. Even when she told Steven was on his way it meant nothing to her. She had such conflicting feelings where he was concerned it was easier to not feel anything. Otherwise she'd be likely to explode. She was angry he hadn't come to visit her, hurt and betrayed, but she also knew that he had hired her a lawyer, but anyone could have done that. A simple two minute phone call didn't make up for much. Was she being ungrateful? She just knew when she needed him the most he wasn't there.

And yet, she was happy to see him, because all she had dreamt about while in the jail was falling into his arms and being held by him. She did love him that was fact, and her brain just kept looping back to the night she had been drunk and he had returned her feelings. She didn't understand why it was so difficult for him, but she would get to the bottom of it. She ran a hand through her hair and was disgusted. She needed a shower desperately and some more food. And as she heard her name called she was allowed her items back. She gathered her pokenav and book bag, and walked out the receiving door. There stood Steven in the dark night sky littered with stars. He was gorgeous she noticed for the hundredth time but as she neared him the anger came up once more and she shoved him hard.

"Where the hell have you been?!" She shrieked

His eyes widened in surprise before he grabbed her wrists, glaring at her, "Where have I been?! Only making sure you didn't go away to prison for life!" He hissed quietly at her.

"Oh really? Far as I can tell you hired a lawyer than washed your hands of me. Was it too inconvenient for you to come see me? Do you not even care about me anymore?! You left me all alone in there-" She ranted on

"Alone? Did no one come to visit you? You have parents and friends May. I was busy trying to work a plan out." He whispered quietly.

"No one came to see me. You all just left me there like I was nothing and I thought you might be the only one to come see me, but no, you didn't even show. You said you loved me!" She said, her arms folding in around herself, her emotions all over the place and drawn thin. Tears blurred her vision but she could see the shocked look on his face.

"You..you remember that?" He asked still talking in a low voice, she nodded but looked away, "I-I do love you May. Like I loved Wallace and all my friends."

She flinched, that felt like a knife in the heart, she wasn't anything else to him, that's all. She just nodded numbly, "You're lying, you kissed me. You know there's more."

"Perhaps you're right, but now isn't the time to discuss it. Please, come home with me. It looks like you need looking after again." He said softly.

She sniffled but nodded, "I'm gross. I could just get drunk again and let you do all the work." She smiled weakly up at him before she moved closer to him and rested her head on his chest. "I needed you all this time."

"I know, I'm here." He wrapped an arm around her gently and led her back to his home. "I suppose you don't want to stay on this island much longer?"

She snorted, "You can say that again." She used to love Mossdeep, mainly because it was where Steven lived, but now there was too much misery associated with it and she never wanted to step foot there again.

"Mmm, well you get in a shower and get dressed, I have some of your clothes in the spare room." He said quietly. He wasn't going to give her a choice in the matter of his presence or not and she found herself okay with that. They needed to talk for once, to work out this awkwardness between them. Too much had happened in the course of a month and they were basically all the other had. Especially with Wallace gone now. To hear his name was still like a knife in her heart.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: don't own anything, making no money on this.**

 _A heavy fog rolled around her feet as she stepped forward, it twisted and ensnared her until every step she took she grew colder. It was as silent as a graveyard around her; she could barely make out anything around her. She could see the horizon in between clouds of mist the sky was a soft blue that melted into the teal sea. No structure, man-made or otherwise, broke the view, and she had to wonder just where she was. She was afraid to move forward as the ground beneath her shifted then became firm once more, with every step. It was an old sensation she knew from the beach. She was on sand but that didn't help her, after all her entire region was one huge island there wasn't one city without at least a riverbed or lake._

 _Her hand was stretched out before her as she couldn't see much through the clouds of mist and fog. She was compelled to keep moving forward, noticing for once that even her footsteps didn't make a sound when they should. Her heart began to beat fast, her mouth running dry, she leaned over and took a deep breath. Had she gone deaf? She straightened back up and told herself that she had to keep going that things may be better once she got where ever it was she was heading. She made it about ten feet before suddenly she gave a blood curdling screech as something slimy but strong wound around her ankle. She jumped back and looked down at the same time, only for her next scream to be caught in her throat. She choked as she saw the bloody fingers grasping her ankle. She tried to shake and kick them off but the more she struggled the more painfully tight the grip became._

 _Suddenly her mind was filled with the sound of someone struggling to breathe, as if they were taking their last rattling, gurgling breath. As she stood, unable to move her eyes widened as a second bloody hand moved up her leg, it was using her as leverage to pull its body from the ground. And finally she saw what, or who, it was. Wallace. His eyes lit with a burning rage, a twisted smile on his face as blood dripped from his temple, and his lips. The shredded remains of his chest dipped downwards, slabs of flesh and skin dropping on her feet with a sickening squelching noise. "Hi there my pretty girl, I've missed you so much, I know I don't look like much right now but I promise I'll do you good." He laughed hysterically, but mid-laugh his jaw flapped around uselessly as it hung at an odd angle from his face._

 _She swallowed as she realized he had backed her into a corner, his hands pressing against her shoulders, trapping her. He took one hand off her and with one quick movement popped his jaw back into place. She covered her ears as a loud crack echoed in the mist. "Nooo." She moaned quietly, she turned away her mind unable to deal with what was happening. "Please no...let me go!" but all she heard was his humming she felt him shift and whimpered as she felt his breath travel down her neck. Suddenly he was singing._

" _Whenever you see a hearse go by you know you'll be the next to die. They wrap you up in body sheets and throw you down ten thousand feet. They put you in a big black box and cover you up with dirt and rocks. All goes well for about a week until your coffin begins to leak. The worms crawl in, the worms crawl out, the worms play pinochle on your snout!" His soft crooning singing voice drifted over her like a mud shower, she felt greasy and disgusting but it was far from over, "They eat your eyes, they eat your nose, they eat the jelly between your toes….a big green worm with rolling eyes crawls in your stomach and out your eyes. Your stomach turns a slimy green and pus pours out like whipping cream! You spread it on a slice of bread and that's what you eat when you are dead!" Finally the demented song ended, his rotting breath stopped travelling down her neck. She turned her head away and vomited as he laughed._

" _Don't worry my dear, I have you now!" He grinned in her face, his body was suddenly pressed against hers, she could feel his innards squishing against her and she sobbed. His hands travelled beneath her shirt and she could feel him touching her breasts, suddenly the touch turned painfully and he roared in her face, "AM I A FAGGOT NOW MY DEAR?" Her eyes widened as a swarm of flies flew from his mouth while maggots fell down her shirt. She screamed._

She sat up quickly, her head-spinning and her arm drawn tight against her chest a sharp pain lancing through it. Her heart was pumping and she was breathing fast, the nasty taste of fear lingered in her mouth even as she calmed herself. She looked at her surroundings, it only took seconds to remember she was in Steven's house, that after being released they had planned on only making a pit stop to shower and eat than leave the island for Lilycove hotel but she must have fallen asleep when he went to pack his bag. She stretched, her mind still replaying the nastiest bits of her dream, she shook her head. She hated her nightmares, so vivid and real, as if her mind was alive just to torture her.

She laid back, rubbing her sore arm, she must have smacked it on the table when she had been trying to get away from the demented dead Wallace. She swallowed and wondered what would happen now. How life would or even could go back to normal. Normal meant Wallace but he'd never be with them again. She felt her eyes burn, she swallowed the tears back and wondered if the pain would get any less. Her eyes travelled to the bedroom door which was slightly open, she could barely make out the puff of messy silver hair poking out under a mountain of blankets. She had been so self-absorbed in her own misery and hadn't even thought about how Steven was handling everything, or if he even had a chance with having to get her out of prison.

She frowned, she hadn't been treating him nicely lately, but then again he hadn't really been himself either. She felt split down the middle, one side of her just wanted to forget everything that happened and carry on with Steven as if he was still a perfect knight in shining armor, but the other side just kept whispering all the bad things he had done, everything she had heard or even seen him do. There was no middle, and trying to create one seemed to be impossible, it made her head hurt but she also knew if she didn't bring her view of Steven into reality they could never work. They might never work either way, they had exchanged I love you's but still nothing happened. It was as if it didn't matter to Steven and that's what hurt the most, his calm rejection of it all.

Swinging her feet to the floor quietly she pushed herself up and crept to the door, peering in at the man who despite losing his best friend fought for her when no one else would, not even her own family. She nearly jumped out of her skin when her stomach growled loudly, chuckling quietly she backed away from the door and went into the kitchen. She threw cupboard after cupboard open finding most empty besides the one above the sink that held two plates, two bowls and two teacups. She frowned, she should have known Steven wouldn't have a lot, he lived alone and was often never home. She hoped he'd have something in the fridge but was disappointed when all she found was a rotting head of lettuce and chunky milk. Gagging she threw them both in the garbage and took it out back.

She'd have to go to the grocery store if she wanted to make Steven and herself breakfast and play little miss domesticated housewife. She was surprised to find her clothes washed and clean on the armchair by the fireplace, wondering when exactly Steven must have gone to bed. She shook her head, he really thought of everything. As she closed the front door behind her she breathed in the fresh air, an anxious smile upon her face, it was the first time she'd be in the public since her release last night and she just hoped no-one would bother her. She took out her flute and called Latios to her, usually it took a little bit for him to get to her as the Eon pokemon enjoyed the brisk air and the smell of berries that drifted into the air. He was known to land halfway to her and chomp through dozens of berry trees only to find a very annoyed May tapping her foot when he finally arrived.

This time though, he shot by her so fast he had to turn around and land, happily calling out to her, his head bobbing up and down. She laughed and threw her arms around his neck, resting her face against his, "I've missed you too bud. What do you say to a flight to Slateport, yeah?"

He gave a happy chirp and licked her face as if he was some common house pet.

"Think you can get me there before Steven wakes up?" She threw herself on his back and held on tight as he lifted off. She gave a shriek and flattened herself to his back as he went full throttle forward. She just knew that when she landed her hair would look terrible; and sure enough half an hour later she jumped off his back and touched her hair. It was poofed out like she had just been electrocuted. She glared at Latios accusingly, but the pokemon just huffed and looked longingly at the beach. "Oh fine, go play! But come back when I call!" She smiled at him as he zoomed away from her. She hadn't seen her pokemon in so long, after breakfast she'd take them out to play and train some.

She looked at the market, grateful she had awoken early enough to avoid the mid-morning rush, only a few people were perusing the stalls. A few were staring and whispering but most were too tired or too busy to bother. She followed the sounds of chickens to find the stall that always held the fresh veggies, fruit and eggs. She grabbed a dozen eggs, two tomatoes, some fresh homemade bread, a bunch of celery and three peppers, some mushrooms, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries and blueberries, and a large glass of cream and milk. It came to heft price but she didn't care. She had always been good with her money, wanting to save it rather than spend like her Mother so often had. She moved onto the next stall and bought some fresh herbs and spices, cheese and butter. Finally she had everything and she played the flute once more. She hooked the bags off his wings as he glared at her, "Sorry boy, just this once I promise!"

The flight back home was much more calm and relaxing, and when they finally reached home she jumped off and waved at Latios as she rushed into the house. It was becoming almost second nature to walk into Steven's home as if she lived there. She quite enjoyed the thought of it, even if it being his old childhood home kind of creeped her out. She passed by her pokeballs pressing the release on one of them, her charizard landed with a loud thud on the floor as she took the food out of the bags. "Shh boy. The old man is still sleeping." She stroked his snout and fed him a pokeblock before beginning to heat up the pans placing a gob of butter in the center of each. As she waited for that to melt she grabbed the basket of eggs and turned around to place it on the counter.

Suddenly her ankle got tangled in a bag and she slid across the floor, her arms flailing around, before she landed on the floor, the basket holding the eggs squashed beneath her. "Oh no." She groaned picking through the shattered and dripping remains, relief filling her when she found 6 uncracked eggs. She happily picked herself back up and brought the messy basket to the counter. She grabbed a bowl and cracked the six eggs into it, beating them together she cut up the peppers, mushrooms, and celery before dipping them into the beaten eggs and pouring it all into the two pans. As the omelets cooked she shredded the blocks of cheese and sprinkled the cheese over the omelets and folded them over.

She roasted the tomatoes, adding on some spices and herbs into the mix and placed them on the plates next to the omelets. Everything was going splendidly until she attempted to make homemade pancakes. It was one thing she had never learned, but she wanted to try. She stood on her tiptoes and with her finger tips tried to move the canister forward. It moved a few centimeters until she finally nudged it off. She had meant to grab it as it fell but unfortunately her hands were slippery and it spilled all over her blouse and the countertop. She groaned, but poured what she thought she'd need into a bowl and added milk and the fruit, she scooped some of the eggs yolk that was dripping off the counter from the basket into the mixture and stirred. She looked down into what looked like a disgusting mess and shrugged, was it supposed to look like twice eaten porridge?

It was too late to go back, so she spooned some into the burning pan, black smoke drifting up from under the mixture. She flipped both pans but all that came out was a charred pancake on the outside and a gooey center. She frowned, she just needed to get used to it is all. She was getting rather annoyed at that point that her Mother had never taught her how to cook but she could do it, how hard could it be? She continued, the burnt nasty excuses for pancakes piling up next to it, until finally she couldn't even pry one off the pan, with all her strength she dug the spatula under the pancake and tried to pry it off the blazing hot pan, when it finally came it flew into the air and stuck to the ceiling. As she looked up at it with exasperation her tea cloth caught fire, when the fire alarm went off she jumped and looked down and gave a small scream. She scooped the burning tea cloth up with her plastic spatula and flung it towards the sink, it missed and got the curtains instead. The fire easily caught on the cotton curtains and sent them ablaze.

"Oh god! Swampert help!" she yelled, she thought her starter was in his pokeball but instead he crashed through the backdoor, leaving a gaping hole and used surf to put out the flames. She was left soaked in a flood of water holding a half melted plastic spatula, egg dripping from the counter, flour every place, a plate full of burnt pancakes, burnt pans, the curtains in bits and two inches of water on the floor. She blinked and felt her heart thud against her chest as she turned around upon hearing someone walking. There stood a tired looking Steven staring in shock and exasperation at his destroyed kitchen. She opened her mouth to speak but it was then that the pancake stuck on the ceiling fell on her head and she just pointed at charizard and swampert and blurted out, "It was them! They did it!"

Charizard gave her a dirty look and sent a trail of flames over her head that singed her hair, while swampert gave a look of utter betrayal and indignation. Her starter went to hiss at her but halfway through he ended up belching and spewing up sea water and a magikarp that landed very much alive and flopping about at Steven's feet. It's wide staring eyes only growing wider at the man's facial expression. May winced and looked down waiting for Steven to say something but he was silent, she looked up to find him speechless. "I'm sorry." She said quietly, sloshing her feet in the wreckage, "I was trying to make you breakfast."

Steven gave an annoyed and exasperated sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose as if a headache was forming, she knew she was in for it and braced herself, but instead his lips began to twitch before finally his face broke out into a smile, "Ah, May, Hoenn's most lethal weapon of mass destruction."

She turned red, "Shuddup." She snapped, folding her arms, and looking about at the mess.

Steven slowly walked into the mess barefoot and picked up the soggy and burnt pancakes and raised an eyebrow. She watched him sniff it and then shove it away from his face, "I think I've lost my apatite." he chuckled quietly, she stared at him blankly.

"Well fine then, I won't make you breakfast anymore than." She pouted, she felt horrible for destroying his home, even if he was taking it lightly she was wondering when the other shoe would drop.

"No please do, I'd like to see how you'd redecorate my living room." He grinned, and she couldn't help but crack a small smile and slap him on the arm.

"For real though, I'm sorry." She said, he just shrugged.

"It's okay May. Everything I lost the last week, everything I could have lost….this," he waved his hand around the kitchen, "is nothing, I don't care." Her eyes widened a bit.

"Are you sure?" She asked meekly, moving from foot to foot nervously.

"Of course, or did you forget I'm the spoiled pampered prince? Please I can fix this up easily. I've been meaning to re-do this house for a while. You've finally given me an excuse to begin the reconstruction, so really I should be thanking you." He said squeezing her hand gently. "I think I should go get cleaned up, and then I shall take you out to breakfast my dear. Your pokemon are out back, I think they wish to see you."

She could never figure that man out, she knew if it had been her kitchen she would have been livid, often in these moments she thought that he may in fact be a better person than anyone she had come across before. She stepped through the whole in the backdoor that Swampert had made and smiled as she watched her team. Lucario was chasing Gardevoir around in circles swiping at her but the psychic pokemon always managed to dodge it. She didn't know how many times she had told her fighting pokemon that Gardevoir could just read its mind and that he'd never catch her but it didn't stop him from trying. Swampert and Charizard seemed to be conversing in the corner under a tree both shooting her glances every once in a while. She knew they were up to something but wasn't sure just what yet. Serperior was on his back sunbathing next to the pond, she rolled her eyes, he had always been a bit vain. She frowned and looked about, where was Salamence?

She only had to look about worried for a few seconds before a great roar came from above and she waved up at the dragon who came spiraling down straight towards her. She grinned, this was the move that had terrified her parents when they first saw it, she loved how Salamence decided to pick her up for a flight. She was never afraid of her own pokemon, she knew they would never cause her harm and so she stood still and finally she watched him turn himself over and his arms wrap under hers and she climbed onto him. She hugged him as he rose and took her for a small flight around Mossdeep. The warm air streaming through her hair, the sun beating down on them, she soon felt her wet clothes dry out a bit. "Okay boy let me go see the others!" And with that he spiraled down and she jumped from his back landing on her knees in the backyard. Her heart thudding fast from the exhilaration, Serperior squawked in surprise and slithered over to her. She wrapped her arms around him and the others as they drifted over to her one by one. She feed them pokeblocks and talked with them, it felt great to tell the story to someone who wouldn't question or bother her but who would just support her unconditionally.

It was these moments with her dearest companions that meant the world to her, she didn't want it to end but too soon Steven made his presence known in his yard and she turned to him, "You ready?" He said dressed in his normal suit she sighed.

"Yeah I'm ready, although I do think we should stop at the shop in Lilycove, I heard there was a sales in the men's department store." She smiled at the old argument they always had.

"Not to worry I agree, these are looking a bit threadbare, I have already put in an order for another few suits there." He said with a wink.

She rolled her eyes and ran her fingers through her hair, only satisfied when it was finally laying flat on her head. The walk to the ferry was quiet and peaceful, and she found herself once more happy that there weren't that many people on board, perhaps the whole thing would blow over without so much as a mention of her time at the precinct. Soon enough they were sat opposite of each other in a quaint diner on the oceanfront putting in orders for orange juice and coffee while they perused their menus. After a quick order of pancakes and bacon for her, and eggs and biscuits with ham for Steven, she looked at him.

"Oh I've been meaning to tell you, your father has called, fifty-seven times last night to be exact. He seemed quite worried about you. He heard about your release and was wondering when you were coming home for a visit." Steven said off-handedly

She sighed, it was just like her dad to want to get their stories straight before the reporters rolled in. She knew why he was calling, more worried the whole world would hear about how he had done nothing, not even visited his own daughter, while she was in jail and how it would affect his gym. Part of her wanted to sit down with a journalist and tell the entire region what a shitty person he really was, but she knew that would just bring so much more unwanted attention on her, she wouldn't be able to go any place without even more horrendous whispers following her about. "Yeah I'm sure he was so worried. I'll tell him his precious job is safe." She said bitterly.

"Hmm. You think that's what he was concerned about? He asked how you were coping you know." Steven said softly.

"If he was actually concerned about my emotional well-being than he could have very well made his way to Mossdeep to visit me while I was in jail. You may have some excuse not to bother with me, but he didn't." She snapped angrily. "That's all it's ever about with him. His precious fucking gym. He fucking uses _normal_ type pokemon and is on the lower end of the gym's in the region, but he seems to think he is top notch. It's pathetic."

She watched bitter resentment fuming from her as Steven's eyebrows raised, "You have a thing against normal types? I didn't know that."

"Might as well just take kittens and puppies and call them normal type pokemon." She rolled her eyes, "I don't like them, they seem useless in battling and most of them couldn't even win any sort of contest. For trainer purposes they are worthless. For companionship they are fine, or just normal wild animals sure, but I wouldn't bother much further with them."

"You're becoming one of those snooty trainers you know. Who only believe in the worth of pokemon based on what they can do for you," Steven leaned forward, "Kind of like your father thought of you May? How can you be so angry with him for treating you that way when you do the same to others who are defenseless?"

She glared at Steven, she knew what he said was true, which is why it stung so much, but he had no right to speak about her father when he knew nothing. She felt the anger burn in her chest but just looked away, "You know nothing."

His head tilted forward, "It's true we don't know much about each other at all. But everyone can see your anger."

"Anger is normal, what am I not allowed to be?" She snapped, crossing her arms.

He sighed, "May please, don't do this. We need to talk about things but not with you acting like this. I care about you, but I don't know if I can cope with this side of you."

"You're not so easy to cope with either, just so you know. You care so much about me that it was so easy to reject me and push me away once your best friend said one word. You cared more about what he thought of you than you ever did about me." She accused.

"It always come back to this doesn't it? I haven't been perfect, I know that. I just think we need to talk through this is all. Otherwise how will this work?" He sighed running his hand through his hair.

"How will what work? What exactly are we even talking about? You made it perfectly clear that you didn't want me. What now all of a sudden you do? Now that Wallace is dead it's okay right? What were you too scared to stand up to him?" She hissed her heart was pumping, fury burning her insides. She breathed deeply trying to reel it back in. Why did this always have to happen when they just wanted to have a nice meal together?

"I don't know, okay?" He snapped, his patience thinning, "Let's not argue here."

She fell silent, he was right about one thing: too many heads were turning and ears listening in. Everything seemed to be placed on fragile cracking glass. One wrong breath and it would all shatter beneath them. She finally said, "There's this place I meant to show you. I go there sometimes to get away. We can have it out there."

"Fine by me." He said quietly, looking up as their food was placed before them. The meal passed in an awkward silence, each lost in their own thoughts and worries. She grabbed the bill before Steven could, and paid it despite his protesting.

"Come we have to go to Pacifidlog town. We ride the currents towards slateport until we find a place to dive down, it's an underwater cavern." She said as she stepped out of the diner, they made a quick trip back home to grab the pokemon they'd need for the journey and flew to Pacifidlog town. She led the way over and jumped on Swampert's back.

"Underwater cavern? You know me so well." He smiled at her, she could tell just how interested he was by the gleam in his eyes.

"Well there aren't any stones, but there is something of interest there." She told him as they drifted on the currents, they had tied ropes to one another so they wouldn't drift far apart, she fought to keep her balance the entire way there but finally she was able to cut the line. "Dive." She said and down they went. She led the way to the mouth of the cave and ducked down to avoid the jagged rocks above them. Finally Swampert rose in a small huge cave. There were mounds of rock and slabs of stone erected in a strange checkerboard fashion in the cave.

On each were dotted hieroglyphics of some sort engraved on the surface of each slab.

Steven's mouth was hanging open as he made his way to the first slab on the left and traced his fingers over the engravings, he quickly flung open the waterproof casing of his pokenav and began to take pictures of each hieroglyph in order, then the entire slab. He did this for all the outcroppings of rock and slabs in the cavern. For half an hour she sat in an armchair by a fireplace she had carved in the stone herself waiting for him to take a break. She knew he'd be at this for hours otherwise. She couldn't help but smile at his boyish excitement; in these brief moments the fondness came back full force and she was reminded why she so desperately clung to him despite all the hurt and fights.

Finally he sat down across from her and said in a fast voice, "This is amazing May! When did you find this? How? There must be others, have you shown the scientists? We have to get these interpreted, who knows what kind of information this is!"

She smiled at him, "No I like to keep this place quiet. You're the only one I've ever shown." She looked down at her lap her finger tracing over the rim of her teacup. "Sometimes I wonder why we still talk when we fight so much. And how you don't seem to get it. But then there are moments when all the good moments come back, and you make me love you all over again. It's hopeless."

He breathed and relaxed back into the chair, "I don't know how to go back. No matter how much I try to find a way it doesn't seem possible." He frowned and stared at her, "I don't always get it, I try so hard for you May but most of the time it doesn't seem to matter to you. It's never enough because it doesn't fit into your expectations of me. Which I don't even know. I don't know anything."

She could hear how frustrated he was, but she was just as frustrated as him, "Well most people would know how not to be a jackass, I'm sorry if that lesson has gone over your head."

"That's what I mean, right there! You get defensive and so you turn it into an offensive attack on me, or whoever else, so you can deflect it back to protect yourself. I'm not out to hurt you, I just want to help!" he gave an exasperated sigh, "I'm at my wits end. It's been too much."

"What's the entire last year and a half been than? All it's been is you being an asshole to me, that's all you've done." She forced herself to take a steadying sip of her tea, to let the warmth of the liquid pool in her stomach and calm the burning in her chest.

"I can't keep saying I'm sorry, especially when most of it you didn't even bother with me. The last time we even saw each other before the meteor was when I brought you back from Kalos! Or did you forget how that man attacked you and who had to once again be responsible for you when you were acting like a child?" He snapped, his lips pressed thin.

"How could I ever forget the night you told me you loved me too? All it took was me being drunk to admit it, right? The only reason you even said it was because you thought I was too drunk to remember in the morning so it was okay to say it. You didn't mean it. The proof was that everything went back to the way it was before the next morning. If you loved me, we would have been something more. You don't just throw that out to someone you know is completely in love with you while their drunk just because you think they'll forget, than completely ignore it and them the next morning. And here we are. Brilliant job!" She seethed, all the pain and hurt that had been brewing and stewing within her for the last year or so seemed to sharpen to a point and burst forth like a fierce weapon of destruction.

"How could we be anything more when every time we talk it degrades into this?! Is this really what you want a relationship to be? Is this what your expectations are?" He breathed out, his eyes closing for a bit, his own temper was slowly edging its way out and if there was one thing he hated more than anything it was losing control.

"We argue because of how you treat me!" She yelled, finally losing her temper, her chest and throat hurting with the strain of the burning pressure and emotions. "I know we can't keep doing this, and I don't want to. There isn't any going back Steven, we have to find a way forward. Nothing will ever be as it was, too much has happened, and Wallace is gone," she momentarily lost her voice before breathing in again, "I've been under too much stress."

"You're not the only one who has lost someone May. Many people were close to Wallace, it's the kind of person he was. You and I were probably the closest besides Winona and his family. I lost Wallace too. I knew him for years, we grew up together, and when I lost my Mum my father became a workaholic, Wallace was there for me. I miss him too." Steven said his voice soft and quiet, she was surprised to hear the quiver of hurt at the last bit. She felt shame wash over her; she knew they had been close, but she hadn't had any time to stop and think how it would affect Steven at all. She had been tossed in jail, and when she wasn't she was arguing with a man who had lost his best friend.

And it just hurt, every inch of her hurt, there wasn't a single molecule in her body that wasn't screaming at her, it needed to get out, it was poisoning her. It was like an ugly beast shredding her insides for too long and if it didn't get out it would kill her. "It's like everything is wrong now. Like the carpet, floor, the very earth was ripped from under my feet. Wallace was all I had for f-family," She said, "He meant everything to me.." She balled her hands and swiped at her eyes, "And I'm not saying that he meant more to you than me, I know he didn't. It's just that everyone seems to think we weren't close and I have no one to talk to about it. And I feel like people have lost so much when he died. You lost your best friend, Winona lost her past love, and of course his family. And I'm just here. I'm the outsider, what right do I have to grieve when I didn't know him as long? And no one understands. Even people that knew look at me strangely you know. Especially when I say he was my only family. And I can't say that to many cause of who my Dad is. They all point out I have a father who is looked upon favorably in the region and my Mum. And people think I threw them away, for a man I barely knew that long and now am trying to steal the spotlight for grieving him. But they don't know anything, and now it's in my head what right do I have to grieve? I can't...I just want to talk to him once more."

There was an echoing silence, only interrupted by water dripping from the ceiling onto the stone floor. She was holding her sides as if she was coming apart and had to physically hold herself together as she blinked back tears. "I find myself at a loss May. You do have both your parents, on the outside they look like a perfect couple, and I know the inside is always different, but when I lost my Mum…" Steven stopped speaking, "I don't even know how I feel anymore, when it happened I did but I've spent so long burying it I feel nothing about it anymore. The only thing I can remember is that she used to tuck me in every night and read to me and when she died there was no one there, and I remember being very upset about that. It does I guess make me wonder why you feel so hostile towards your parents. Explain it to me."

She looked up and felt at a loss, she felt raw and open. It was too much to say, she felt too vulnerable. She picked at the skin around her fingernails wondering if she could even tell him or if there was too much hurt between the two of them to trust anymore. She shook her head, she knew it was dumb, after everything Steven had done for her, but that was different than how he felt about her. She was worried how he'd view her, how things would change, the anger was so easy to mask herself behind. It offered a protection in a way, the anger was so ugly nobody wanted to look long, it was a miracle he had stayed so long. She knew if she didn't show him he wouldn't be much longer, and could she really risk losing Steven over her pride? She chewed her lip and shrugged. "I don't know where to start anymore. I don't know when I got so angry I just always have been."

"Okay start from the beginning than." He sat back and got comfortable, smiling encouragingly at her.

She laughed a bit, "Going to play therapist?" She raised an eyebrow at him, this wasn't a side she saw often, he was usually so closed off and never wanted to go anywhere near emotions. Wallace's death must have unbalanced him or cracked him wide open in a way and she felt herself shiver at the thought.

"Yes, so how does that make you feel?" He said in a very deadpanned sort of way, she snorted, grateful he was joking with her, it would make things much easier.

"Well I was born September 17th, 7023. My Mum was happy and a bit wary. Mostly because my Dad didn't want a girl, all he ever wanted was a son and my Mum had a lot of complications with her pregnancy. So much so the doctors told her that after me it would be life threatening for her to be pregnant again, let alone try to give birth to another baby. Anyway Dad had made plans to take a month away from the Gym to be with Mum and I, until I was born once he was told I was a girl he held me for two minutes than said he had to go back to work." Her voice was monotone, it was the only way to get through it, so long as none of the emotion came through with it she could keep it together.

"That's pretty much how it was for a long time. I barely remember my Dad being home. Apparently I used to cry whenever he did come home, and was afraid of the strange man. As I got older I knew who he was of course but he still wasn't around much. Mum of course got depressed, she never blamed me but she just couldn't get herself out of bed most of the times. She was very lonely. Her friend Mary made her see a therapist who advised her to go out at least once a week. As I got older my Father was still absent, but on my tenth birthday he began to be a perfectionist and was all about his reputation and getting more money. He told me I'd be in the spotlight because of whose child I was. That more would be expected of me, that A's weren't okay only A+'s. He sent me off to etiquette school and got rid of my wardrobe and made me dress like a "lady". He went full-blown medieval times on me. It was odd but it was attention."

"For a while I did what he asked, I studied all the time and dressed nicely. I acted like some high society lady. It felt so wrong but it helped ease the longing for a father. He seemed more interested in me when I was doing what he wanted. He actually told me once after I met his colleagues that he was surprised I could manage that and that he thought I'd be a disaster when I was born. Anyway, like I said for a while he paid attention to me and Mum was getting a bit better. She became obsessed with hanging out with her friends and what not to fill that void. But Dad seemed to grow bored of me, and when it became the norm for me to be his view of perfect he lost all interest in me. Went right back to how it was before, of course I didn't like that. I got very angry at him, I had done everything he had asked and more just so he'd acknowledge my existence you know and it didn't even matter. Like I was garbage. So the longer that went on the angrier I got, and then I exploded one day in class when this boy was picking on me and I punched him in the face."

"Dad was so upset with me he actually came to the school, he never had to before, Mum later told me he had to ask what school I went to. But I learned a new way to get my father's attention. So of course I let loose all the anger I had been holding in for years. He began yelling at me and punishing me all the time, Mum would always defend me. So they'd begin to fight, and the whole family broke down. Mum began to go out a lot more, Dad hardly even came home at night anymore. Then one night Mum brought home a guy friend of hers she met at the bar. She began having affair, he gave her all this attention and showered her in gifts; my father had stopped that a long time ago. I kept her secret cause I thought it was a good way to get back at Dad. Until one night they came back drunk and Mum passed out in her bed." She went quiet, a lump in her throat, she looked away at the floor, shame and embarrassment filling her. She would give anything not to say what happened next but she knew she had to or lose Steven.

"He came to my room and...you know...he..he you know. He hurt me." She whispered, she quickly darted her eyes up to see his reaction, expecting to find repulsion and disgust for her on his face. Instead she found anger and outrage, "I'm sorry." She whispered.

"What?" He said in a quiet hiss, "What are you apologizing for? It's that despicable man that should be on his hands and knees begging for mercy." She looked surprised, she had instantly thought he was mad at her, "How far? How far did he go May?"

She brought her head up to look at him, she felt uncomfortable at the dangerous look upon Steven's face. Never before had she seen that expression on his face and it shocked her to her very core. It also pleased her in a way, no one had ever stuck up for her, and she felt protected in that moment. Completely safe as she looked at Steven so angry at what had happened so long ago. She knew if anyone dared hurt her now they'd be in trouble and she gave a small smile before remembering what he just asked her, she breathed in.

"Does it matter?" She said nervously, once more staring at the floor, she heard the sharp intake of breath and wished she could disappear through the floor. She hated this.

"Of course it matters!" He said angrily, "That man shouldn't have even thought of hurting you, it's just-" he cut himself off and fell quiet. It was silent for quite a while before she decided to pick up her story.

"I didn't say anything at first, because who'd believe me when I had been behaving so terribly anyway? But he kept coming over and I couldn't take being in the same house as him so I eventually told a teacher at school. Social Services got involved, and Mom and Dad fought about it. Mom began to drink more, Dad was mad at her, and at me. When he asked what happened I told him the truth and he just got mad. He said we'd have to move and that we couldn't stay here cause his reputation was ruined. It's all he ever cared about. I doubt he would have cared if no one ever found out. So we moved to this region. We barely talked you know, Dad and I. I was furious with Mum but she didn't know and has been trying to make it up to me. She's so wound around my Dad's finger now it's disgusting, she won't even stand up to him anymore. It's just one big sham." She fell quiet, her fingers were grasping the arm rests tightly.

She was left wondering why they had even started this journey down memory lane when suddenly she jerked back as long warm fingers covered her own. She jerked her head up, her arm and hand resting protectively against her chest as if she had been burned. Her eyes found Steven's, at some point he had moved to sitting on the table between them, he was so close to her. His face was full of surprise but acceptance at her sudden movement. She relaxed once she realized who it was and mumbled out, "I'm sorry, it's not you. It's just whenever I remember it brings me back." She gathered all her courage and energy and reached out for his hand grasping it gently.

She felt a reassuring squeeze from his hand before his soft voice drifted into her ears, "I'm sorry May I didn't mean to make you...well I guess I did, I know it's hard. I just can't help if I don't know."

She looked into his eyes, searching them for something she didn't know, "But why? Why are we doing this. If there isn't any hope for us being together, than what is the point? I love you more than anything but you don't want me. You've made sure I've known that for quite a while now. So if you don't want me then why do this? I can't be just friends with you Steven, I tried for so long. You have no idea how long I've loved you, long before that kiss. And that ruined everything. It's why I left. I didn't want to come back. I only did because you told me you loved me too and I thought there was hope for us to be something more. But still you've shown me no sign of it changing, so what's the point of this? Of all of it. I can't do this if there's no hope."

Steven nodded, he understood what she was saying, she saw the acknowledgment in his eyes but she also saw the inner war going on in his head. She wouldn't try to interfere with it this time, Steven had to win it himself otherwise it would never truly be his decision to try with her or not, he'd just feel coerced into it. "I know May, I can't answer you, I don't know. I'm not good with these things. With emotions or anything."

"Well, set aside the idea of a relationship. Just think about me, do you feel anything for me at all?" She was afraid of the answer but also hopeful, this question was the make or break one. And her heart was nearly in her throat as the silence dragged on and on.

It was her turn to reassure him with a gentle squeeze of his hand, he ran his opposite hand through his hair and sighed in frustration, "I can't. Every time I try to express something willingly it's like a block." He looked into her eyes and she could see the battle inside, the struggle behind them and she realized that she wasn't the only one with baggage in her past. She felt a lump form in her throat and her chest twist painfully into a knot. Her thoughts were a mess of concern and love, all she kept thinking was who could hurt this man before her? He was kind and intelligent, what right did they have? When she finally pulled herself away from those thoughts, she nearly chuckled at the protective streak she was showing, it was role reversal in mere minutes.

"I think it's time I listen to you for once." She said softly giving another squeeze to his hand, his eyes coming up to meet hers once more, she smiled encouragingly. Her breath was always blown away in these moments. Even when he couldn't express his emotions normally, his eyes held the full story, and when they stared so intensely at you as they held every drop of feeling in his body one could barely keep standing. She never could, it knocked her to her knees, she leaned forward and rested her forehead against his, "Tis only fair, I told you about mine. And you've been taking such good care of me all this time when you were going through just as much if not more than me the entire time. I've been selfish and I'm sorry. Let me make it up to you. Let me listen please."

It was quiet for a bit before he responded, "Still selfish I see. Asking things of me when I'm vulnerable, Taking advantage I see." He gave a small smile at his own joke and she just rolled her eyes fondly. Soon however it was serious once more, any trace of a smile was gone from his face and his eyes dulled. He pulled away from her, putting feet between. She frowned as he retracted into himself, back into his protective shell.

She tried to catch his eye again but it was impossible with him looking at the floor, his head bowed. His hands were clenched into fists, the knuckles white with strain; she bit her lip not knowing what to expect from him. He had always been the sturdy, stable, dependable, reliable one. The one that never bent or broke, that you could always count on to remain calm and collected even in the most dire circumstances. Never before had she had to be the support, the foundation to his splintering and cracked frame.

In a broken voice he finally spoke, "I loved him." there was a silence, she went to reach for him but he just pulled farther away, more into himself, almost hunched in. She stopped at a loss as to how to proceed. She wanted to comfort him but every time she tried he went farther from her. So she sat back, giving him space and pushed her own needs aside.

"I know you did. Everyone knows you did. Wallace knows you did." She said quietly.

He just shook his head, "I never told him, it's not how we were. I should have told him, and now it's too late. He's gone. I don't understand how he's gone when he's always been there." She had no idea what to say to that, his voice held back so much repressed emotion it was hard for her to sit back and take without moving towards him again. There was silence as he struggled to make himself right and she searched for the right words.

"I know everyone blamed you, but the people that matter most they all know the truth. They all know I was the one that sent him there. I sent him to his death. He was like a brother to me." he roughly shoved his hand through his hair, his body tense. There was nothing here to destroy like there was the night he found out.

"How'd you two meet?" She asked quietly, trying to get him away from the guilt and shame, to a better time with Wallace.

"We met on the docks in Lilycove City.." He trailed off as the memory returned to him, he quietly recounted it as it flooded his mind.

 _He walked along the boardwalk near the Contest Hall in Lilycove city; his trainer school had let out early and his father wouldn't be able to pick him up until later. This didn't bother him though, he loved to explore the city in these rare moments of being alone. He would usually get an popsicle and lean over the railing watching the Wingulls fight over scraps of berries on the ocean surface. It wasn't a normal activity for a twelve year old and many times the safety officers in town had stopped by to make sure he was alright, but they had grown used to his loitering and left him alone now. He did wish his Dad was around more, often times he just felt like an orphan or like a burden; just a errand his father had to take care of when he'd rather be at work or with his business associates._

 _He pushed himself off the railing and began to walk back into the city, he wanted to go grab some things for his beldum. He stepped back onto the cobblestone road and looked about, in front of him stood a huge contest hall, it's huge frilly ribbon on its logo nearly swallowed by the glaring red paint of the building. He often wondered why people had pokemon just for pageants, it seemed like such a waste and degradation of pokemon in general. However he didn't carry the same condescending prejudice that his fellow classmates carried towards those who entered. They often viewed those trainers with disdain and felt superior to them, but he had watched one man take such good care of his ninetales and saw the skill with which they had to perform._

 _He walked past the building mulling over the differences between trainers who battled and those who used them for pageants. So lost in his thoughts he didn't hear the soft muffled and panicked cries coming from the side of the building behind some bushes at first. However a panicked shrieking of a pokemon brought him back into the present and his head lifted. He nervously stepped in between the shrubs, his hands clutching Beldum's pokeball tightly. In the shaded secluded area he could see a group of trainers in the upper years of his school surrounding a smaller boy around his age who looked much more fragile than the older boys did. The smaller boy was dressed in a soft light green suit that reminded him of Chikorita, he had a pastel blue bow tie on and teal hair. He was laying on the ground, blood running from his nose. He was curled protectively around his small Feebas who was admitting tiny shrills of fears._

 _His stomach flooded with nauseasness as the older boys laughed and tried to snatch the small fish-like pokemon out of his arms. They kicked and hit the small boy who took each blow with a small gutteral whimper; it was as if he was used to such treatment. Steven frowned and stepped forward, "What're you guys doing? Leave him alone!"_

 _The tallest boy turned around, and sneered at him, "Or what pipsqueak? You going to stop us?" The others laughed, one of them grabbed the young boy on the ground by the hair and began to shake him as if to dislodge the fish from his arms. It completely repulsed Steven, the cruelty they were showing was disgusting, he could feel the heat in his face as the anger rose in him._

" _Yeah I think I am." He said releasing his Beldum and Aron at the same time. The boys just stopped everything and stared before bursting out laughing._

" _Really? Is that all you got? You're kidding me right?" The tall boy snorted looking down at the small pokemon as he lazily through out a tentacruel and Goodra. Steven breathed in, he knew he was outmatched, they had more pokemon that had been trained far longer than his little ones but there was no going back now. Even if there was how could he just walk away and let these thugs continue to beat on this boy?_

" _What's he ever done to you? You telling me that little boy caused you trouble?" Steven challenged him_

 _The tall boy glared, "People like him shouldn't be mingling with us normal people. He's nothing but a disgusting vile fag. Little fairy boy, innit that right boy? We found him kissing over here snogging some other boy, that one ran he did but this one tried to get smart with us. Little fag needs to know his place. Tellin' you people like him should be euthanized before he spreads it to others."_

 _His eyes widened, his stomach churning, he was utterly repulsed and disturbed by this boys hatred and prejudice. He had thought it was because he was Contest Trainer but no, it was because the boy was gay. He was at a loss for words, he knew people so deep into their prejudice like this boy was, consummed so much by hatred that they resorted to violence, would never change their view. His anger spoke volumes though, "The only vile and disgusting one here is you. And you're all even more so now. Don't you know how the gay gene is passed around?"_

 _The boy looked uneasily at him, "There's no gay gene, that's left-wing propoganda that is! It's a choice, if he had any decency he'd reform!"_

" _So was it a choice for you to be straight? Did you wake up one morning and go, 'Oh I'm gonna be straight.'? I don't think so. Your mind thinks you're attracted to girls so you are. It's in your body. Just like being gay and it's passed around by blood." Steven said nodding towards the blood on their shirts and hands._

 _There was silence as the boys looked at their hands in fear. Silence passed for a bit as they all seemed lost in thought, trying to figure out how much of what he said made sense and might be true. Without a word all fled towards the water-front, leaving only the tall boy left in front of him, he turned back to look at the smaller boy sitting quietly behind him and sneered, "Don't you worry fag, we'll find a way to put you down without getting our hands dirty." And soon he too disappeared._

 _He called back his pokemon quietly, and stood awkwardly to the side before walking up to the boy, he took out a few fancy handkerchiefs and held them out to the boy. He took some bandages out as well and laid them out in front. "Are you okay?" He asked nervously._

" _What do you care?" The boy snapped, "Best not to get to close, or I might infect you too."_

" _That's not true." Steven said quietly, he had hoped the boy would see what he was doing but he hadn't. He never had been the best at socializing._

" _You sounded sure when you were talking to those idiots." The boy grated out as he cleaned himself up._

" _I was just saying that to get them to leave. They would never have left otherwise or listened. I'm sorry." He said quietly, a spark of guilt settling in his chest_

 _There was a quiet shuffling, and Steven watched as the boy looked over his Feebas, personally he thought the fish was the ugliest pokemon he'd ever seen but it obviously meant everything to the boy. "My name's Wallace." The boy said after a while._

" _Steven." He replied, a silence stretched, until finally he said, "I'm hungry let's go get some food. There's a place that has huge burgers the size of a plate."_

" _Okay." Wallace answered with a bit of apprehension, he got up and dusted himself off. Steven leading the way out of the shaded area._

"We became quick friends over lunch, and he showed me how awesome Feebas was naturally. It's all history from there." Steven said quietly, looking at his hands.

She frowned and nodded, "Typical you, rushing into play hero even at that age." Steven snorted.

"Look where it led." Steven muttered darkly. "But we both know I'm to blame. Admit it May, that's why you're so hot and cold with me, isn't it?"

She looked off to the side, she didn't want to answer. She hadn't really wanted to think of the part Steven played in Wallace's death. "It's everything Steven. Everything. What happened between us, how you handled the meteor crisis...you nearly committed genocide. That's what disturbs me the most. To save your own hide you nearly killed an entire world. First it was just a bunch of people and pokemon to blast it, than on top of that you wanted to send it off to kill an entire other dimension. That's not the actions of the man I thought I knew."

"I just...I wanted to save us. Yes I wanted to save our world. I didn't see another way. We only had mere hours to come up with a plan and there is no definitive proof that there are other dimensions, other worlds besides ours. Would you have me throw away the lives of everyone in our world for the slim chance of there being another dimension? What if there isn't and everyone died for nothing? I didn't have any choice, it was the only way I could see forward." Steven sighed, "I know it was wrong, but there was no other way. What was I supposed to do sit back and let it happen?"

"I don't know Steven, I just know that genocide, and the sacrifices of our people you wanted to make is not acceptable." She said in frustration, "And even when another way was presented, a safer way that would have no casualties you still went along with your plan! You still sought out genocide as the right option. And to answer you yes, a small part of me blames you for Wallace. Because you didn't want to admit you might be wrong and at least listen to Zinnia, you sent Wallace there and he died! The price of your pride was Wallace's life! I'm not saying you knew Wallace would be killed or anything but that's what happened, Wallace paid for your pride, ego and need to be right with his life!" She could barely breathe as she ended the rant, tears in her eyes, she was both relieved to have finally said it, and shameful, even if it was true she knew how much Steven had cared for Wallace. How much he was hurting and how he never meant any of it to happen. But it had, in the end it had.

There was a long pause before Steven spoke in a brittle choked off voice, "I did what I thought was right May, I was wrong in the end I know and it cost Wallace his life. I can never erase my guilt but I didn't mean for him to die. I didn't think Zinnia would kill him for interfering, he was so strong I don't understand how it happened. I just didn't want to put faith in another legendary, the last one nearly destroyed us all, which was what I was working to avoid. I'm so sorry."

She knew he regretted it, knew how much he must be hurting, the enormous amount of guilt he was feeling. She wanted to reach out to comfort him, regardless of what happened she still loved him. The minute she laid her eyes on him she was drawn to him, she couldn't explain it. She knew he was a good man, and that he never meant anyone harm and he was trying to do the right thing. But the other side was screaming at her, trying to destroy him in her mind. It kept reminding her that the road to hell was paved with good intentions, asking her what else she didn't know about him, what else would he be capable of? It was a constant argument in her mind how to mesh the man who was good and wanted to do right with the man so dismissive of any peaceful alternative to his plan of genocide. Where did she draw the line? She had no idea, every sort of relationship she ever had was fucked up in some way.

She didn't know what was normal, where the boundary and line should be. Her parents, her parents friends, her lack of friends. She had no concept, so she could never step back and judge if she was over-reacting or under-reacting in a situation; she merely had her feelings to go on, and they were never stable even in the most calm intelligent people. She knew she loved Steven, and it killed her to be completely honest with him especially when she knew how much it would hurt him and add to his guilt. She wished she hadn't said a thing, the look on Steven's face was devastating. "I still love you Steven. Nothing could change that even if you never return those feelings."

"I know. I haven't been the easiest to cope with either. It's just...you know Wallace was right about me. When he told you I attracted young girls just to ditch them. But with you it's different. I mean you won't let me get away," he gave a weak but still cheeky smile, "and I actually do love you. There's something about you, we're so similar in many ways, which makes it easy to just be myself and let go. You know being the pampered prince like Wallace used to call me wasn't the easiest. Always had to pretend for Dad, like you did, and be at his beck and call. Of course there was the media, his expectations of me. For years he tried to get me to take over the company, it was the reason I went for Pokemon Leage Champion, just so he couldn't ask me. I learned to put up a face for everyone, but I don't even bother with you. I'm comfortable and at peace when I'm with you. So yes, I do love you May. It's just everything is so complicated and it's…" He shrugged at a loss for words.

"It's not enough." She finished for him, he nodded at her words and she felt her heart squeeze. She knew that feeling, when the despair was so great that no matter how much anyone loved you it just wasn't enough to drag you out of it. "You don't need love, that's why it isn't enough. You're after forgiveness."

"He's not here to give it." Steven whispered hoarsely, his head bowed.

"I don't think people always need to say you're forgiven for it to be true you know." She said gently, she watched as he jerked his head in acceptance. He suddenly stood up.

"Can I come back here some time for a look about?" He asked quietly.

Surprised she stood up herself and nodded, "Yes of course but if you tell anyone there will be hell to pay."

He nodded, "Your secret hideout is fine with me. What're you gonna do? Be Team Balance?"

She rolled her eyes at his joke, as he began to walk back to the entrance, soon they were in the ocean once more and she called Latios to her. As they flew on his back Steven leaned his face against hers and said, "Can we stop in Sootopolis? I-I want to visit his resting place."

She froze, her heart turning violently in her chest, but she nodded stiffly, her mouth running dry. She didn't know if she could do this but she wouldn't deny Steven this. As the huge chunk of ice got closer so did her fear but there was no turning back now. The ground was near enough to jump, and so they did. She looked at the white bridge and followed Steven on it. She shuddered with each step towards the huge tree. Her breath stopped when they reached the small island, she was surprised at how they had changed it. He was no longer in the ground, instead he was lain on a marble slab, soft cushions between him and the cold stone, there was a gold-plated glass dome over him. He looked like he was sleeping dressed in the clothes he wore to the Gym every day, hands resting over his heart, a single blue rose clasped in his limp hands. She couldn't breathe. It was as if a hand was around her throat and squeezing, all she could think about was all the body work they must have done to make him look so perfect. What if he was really just sleeping?

She shook her head it was a dream, just a wild hope that flared to life for a second just to poof out as quickly as it had come. She watched Steven slowly press his hand against the glass, his head bowed and body tense. She stood behind him, and looked away at the water, and then behind her at the doors to the Cave of Origin and shivered. It was as if it had all started that day, the entire unravelling of Wallace's life, every step since those doors opened was just seconds ticking down. She hated that place now, hated it. She would make sure no one would enter it ever again. She turned back to Steven and took an unsure step forward when she saw him kneeling on the ground in front of the casket, his head resting against it. She noticed his shoulders shaking, and that was what did it for her. She walked to him and Wallace, her eyes fixed on his silver hair.

The minute she touched his shoulder a strange gasping whimper burst forth in a puff of air from Steven and he curled in tighter. She wouldn't indulge him this time. She kneeled behind him and wrapped both arms around his shoulders and chest, pressing her face against his from behind and just held him as he tried to hold back his sobs as he shook violently with the effort. She didn't know what to say, there was nothing to be said. Silence was the best remedy, she was just glad he wasn't fighting her touch and was beginning to lean into it. They stayed that way until it began to get too cold to remain, and she called forth Latios once more. It was a quiet flight home, neither spoke. Once in his house he went to the bedroom and she got undressed in his living room.

She was half-naked, only in her bra and panties when she heard a crash from the bedroom and she dashed to see if Steven was okay. When she reached the door she threw it open, only to find the closet thrown open and boxes dumped open on the floor. Pictures of Steven's past littered the floor, "They're all gone, all of them," Steven spoke softly, slowly turning his head so he could look her in the eyes, "All but you." and with that he walked over and took her in his arms.

She wasn't expecting to be kissed so fiercely and hungrily; there was so much need and passion in his kiss, his lips warm and soft, only the slightest bit cracked. She returned the kiss wondering if this was wise in their state of mind, but all thought was erased as his arms pulled her even closer and he walked them to the bed, they fell together on top of the covers as he began to kiss her neck, his hands sliding over her body, goosebumps erupted on her arms as she fumbled with the buttons on his shirt. The feeling of his mouth running kisses down her neck, his skin against hers, the emotions they shared. It was overpowering and all thought was erased when minutes later they were naked and pressed against one another both needing the other desperately for comfort and love, for a place they belonged.

Later that night after they had made love to one another and he was sound asleep his face buried in her neck as he spooned her from behind, she smiled. What she wouldn't give for this to be her always; she never wanted to let him go. They were perfect, and things would be okay.

So she thought.


	5. Chapter 5

A sliver of sunshine fell on his closed eyes, he shifted around half-awake and groggy. It was only when he suddenly knocked his foot into a rather warm, fleshy, boney, slim extremity of another human that he froze. His eyes popped open suddenly the light pouring in through the window stinging his sensitive grey-blue eyes. He blinked a few times before they finally adjusted and saw honey-colored hair fanned out against his pillow and the soft pale color of skin poke out from beneath the covers. He froze, questioning himself about what happened last night. He didn't have to wait long for his mind to fill in the blanks. He had been so dazed and bereft last night after returning from Wallace's grave that he had selfishly indulged in the soft and warm comfort of a woman. He ran a hand over his face and groaned inwardly; of all the women he could have chosen it had to be May, the one that was in love with him and attached to him as if by a powerful magnet and super glue.

Laying back, his eyes bore into the ceiling as he tried to remember just why he had hopped into bed with her. He knew it had been he who had started it, who had grabbed her to him desperately as if he would fall apart if he wasn't in her arms. He had pressed her to him and undressed her as he kissed her. Flashes of their night of passion flew across his minds' eye; he shivered as he remembered how warm, soft and gentle it had been. The silky creaminess of her skin, her gentle caresses and passionate kisses. The feel of her lips on his body tethering him to a reality where he knew only bliss instead of the overwhelming grief, pain and panic he had felt in the last few weeks. He knew why he had done it, knew he had needed her in that moment. A mere hug and kiss wasn't good enough, no he needed the complete and total comfort and reassurance the safety and warmth a woman's touch could give. It was like a balm on his torn heart.

He hadn't had time to really think of Wallace since the funeral; it had all been about May. Getting her free, making sure she was okay. Only a small part of him resented her the selfishness she exhibited in her pain; after all he couldn't imagine finding Wallace that way, but he too had seen his body. He had found it trying with May, over the course of the last week she had thought of her own feelings. So lost in her own pain she didn't see his, although to be fair he knew he had a hard time showing it. It was bad enough that no one could see his misery, that it went totally ignored for everyone elses but she constantly picked fights. At least he knew why now though. He had always known they had placed too much on her shoulders over the years, she had been a mere kid. Who knew what kind of mental damage that had done her, than her only form of stability in Wallace was ripped away. However last night she finally admitted why she was always directing it at him; besides the fact that it was safe to. She also, on some level, blamed him for Wallace's death.

It had both hurt him, and released him in a small way to hear those words come out of her mouth. He knew he deserved them, though he didn't think his own personal guilt could outweigh the blame others may cast upon him. And yet she stayed with him, faithful loving May. He sometimes wondered if it was love or outright obsession with him, but either way he was thankful she had been there. Had been so honest and loving, even after her confession she had held him at the grave sight. And than offered herself up to him as a vessel of comfort. Once more he groaned inwardly at what he had done; he knew he made things worse by sleeping with her. It was bad enough he had said the L word to her and ditched her but now it would be so much worse. He hadn't lied when he told her he loved her, he did, but he didn't know if he was ready to anything more than what they already were. May would certainly see them as a couple, as together. She would be much clingier and he didn't know if he could take that right now. He didn't think it healthy at all.

One the flight home his mind had been working and mulling over everything that had been said and he knew she was right when she had touched upon forgiveness. He would never be okay until he gained Wallace's forgiveness. How could one garner forgiveness from a dead man though? Furthermore how could any relationship work when both partners had so much between them? Their guilt, their pain, their minds were a mess; if the last few days were any sort of glimpse into what it would be like to be together as they were he knew it would do no good. They were in too much pain, they were living breathing reminders of each others horrid feelings of the Meteor situation. There was too much there to heal properly, for them to be okay. How could they ever move on if they stayed in the same situation? He knew they needed to sort themselves out before ever attempting a relationship.

And one he didn't even know if he could manage. He didn't know how to be with someone at all. He had lived alone for so long, had done everything alone since he was a child. He had been desperate for someone to be by his side when he was younger. There were still moments now that he yearned for companionship; but in the end he always pulled through for himself. He didn't know how to let someone else in, to share his life and experiences with them. For once though he found himself wanting to, regardless of all the drama and fights over the last few weeks with May, he wanted her to be in his life. Everything was such a mess though, but she was still the most beautiful thing in his world. He smiled as his eyes drifted over to her naked body curled up tightly against him. A warmth filled his chest as he looked at her curled up for protection and warmth against his chest. Something seemed so right with that, it was everything he wanted to give her. And yet he had to struggle to put a smile on her face, when before all he had to do was walk in a room and her eyes would light up.

He missed that, it was like a large part of her died when Wallace did and his heart ached for her to come back to him. He had tried so hard, but it wasn't enough; every time he pushed harder she would push back. When he backed off she would be angry he wasn't there for her. He didn't know what to do for her and that hurt as well. He couldn't give her what she needed just now, and he hated himself for it. He felt inadequate and often wondered if perhaps she stayed by him not out of true love anymore but because there was no place else for her to go. Just as being with her wouldn't help him heal, he knew the same could be said for her. No, there was way too much between them, too much happened that would impede their grief process. She would get too wrapped up in him as her fragile mental state wobbled on a breaking axis, and he would just sink deeper inside of himself to gather the strength to help her. It was a recipe for disaster.

A recipe he made worse by sleeping with her last night. He wish he had had more control, he never lost it like that before and it frightened him. The flight home he had made a plan, the forgiveness bit had made so much sense to him. He needed to go find a way to gain forgiveness, to do something for Wallace that could possibly touch him in whatever after life he was in. However it called for him to leave; he knew it would be difficult on May and he had planned to call in some of their mutual acquaintances, mainly his co-workers in Ever Grande, to be with her. He knew May and them had formed a bond, she challenged them almost weekly to keep on her toes and train her pokemon even more.

It would be infinitely worse after sleeping with her, she would expect things to be happily ever after, but they couldn't be, not as they were. How could he explain that to her without her raging and seeing it as another abandonment in a long line of ones? He knew it was impossible, knew it would hurt May. He was a selfish man through and through, he just wished it didn't have to be this way. What if they couldn't pick up the pieces after he left? It was the one thing he worried about. He couldn't explain to May, not face to face. It would spark up an argument and they would both say things they didn't mean in the end and he didn't want to leave it like that. He was too much of a coward to face his actions at times, but this needed to be done. One day when they were both in a better place he hoped she could see that he did it for them. It scared him to think he was doing it for them, so that one day they could be together, but he also knew it could go so wrong. That this may be the time he pushed her too far and she'd never take him back again.

He was willing to let that happen if it meant May was happier, was healthier and more stable. She was so miserable with him now, she needed a break from it all. And they were constant reminders to each other of everything that had gone wrong. His heart was thudding against his chest as he thought of leaving and losing her even if it had to be done. Another selfish part of him wanted to stay. Wanted to believe that if he stayed and lived in May's world everything would be fine; he knew it wouldn't but he could make believe if it meant staying with her. Last night had been so good, so mind-blowing, everything he could imagine and more. He wrapped an arm around her waist and held her close, his face resting against hers as he breathed in the scent of roses that always lingered about her. He pressed gentle kisses into her neck watching a small smile stretch across her face. His heart ached, no he didn't want to leave this, never. "I love you May." He whispered quietly, stroking her side. His eyes roaming her body, searching her face, wanting to memorize every small detail before he forced himself to his feet.

He had to get away from her before he was too drunk on her to go through with his plan. She was like a siren and he answered to her song every time. He smiled a little as he thought of every moment with her; things hadn't always been so bad between them, no there had been plenty of good times to cling to. More than enough to justify everything else. He remembered the first time he dared to admit only to himself that she might be the one. It was so long ago….

 _He sighed both bored and itching to discover a way to either clone himself or turn himself invisible. He was so close on the second, more studying of Kecleon and surely he could figure out just what gave them that ability. Until then he was stuck being tortured in the deepest, most feared depths of hell. His only relief from the large crowds of people dancing, weaving, and drunkenly stumbling around the large ballroom of the mansion was May. She looked like she had been pulled to the party halfway through getting dressed. Her nice yellow shirt with a white bow around the middle hung a little too loosely around her while her pleated black skirt only reached halfway down her thighs. He smiled a little, at least his father couldn't rag on his appearance to such a grand exhibit of high society types this time. He was much too busy trying to convince May to don a much more suitable dress that his now deceased wife once wore._

 _He was impressed with the way she had managed to distract his ever persistent father and weasel her way out of it. He'd have to ask her to teach him later. At the moment he was absent-mindedly popping green olives in his mouth with a wooden toothpick and keeping his vigilant eyes on the crowd in case anyone dared to try to converse with him he could make a quick escape before they reached the table or met his eyes._

" _You could relax more you know my little Stevie." She drawled out with a wide smirk on her face as if she was pleased with the little jab she threw out._

 _His nose wrinkled a bit as a look of utter disdain and revulsion crossed his face, "Do not ever call me that again. It's bad enough my Father does."_

" _But it's so cute. Could call you Stevie wonder." She flashed a real smile and threw a suggestive wink his way, he just rolled his eyes, "Oh come on, lighten up. We've been here an hour and no one has bothered you."_

" _There's still time trust me, they strike when you least expect it. They can smell your vulnerability, the minute your guard goes down and your open to attack they will. I assure you." He said, he didn't know why she was suddenly laughing when he was so serious about it. He hated these things, but was forced to go to them ever since he made that compromise with his father. He had been expected to take over Devon corporation ages ago but both his father and he knew that he hated the idea. He had gone for Pokemon League Championship for more than the normal reason. He wanted to escape so badly he thought taking any public, powerful position would secure him a future away from his father's business. When he had been crowned everyone was so happy for him except his Father, they had argued long and hard until there was nothing left to say. They hadn't spoke for months until his Father fell ill and he had to take over the company for a few weeks._

 _His father had been so grateful they had made a deal; Steven wouldn't inherit the company, or be apart of it unless absolutely necessary and on the few social gatherings his father was apart of over the course of a year. This was the last one for the year and he was more than willing to sit at a table and stare at a clock until it was over. It was what he did every time, his master plan._

 _However he wasn't prepared for his Father to make a flanking maneuver to get to him and he jumped in surprise when the older man's large hand came down on his shoulder and squeezed. He jumped a bit and swivelled around, he could hear May snickering to his side but just hissed out, "What?"_

" _Stevie, you got a fine lady there next to you, why don't you show my associates how those feet of yours move, hm?" Mr. Stone spoke with a soft understanding smile on his face._

" _No! No way are you getting me to dance! That was not part of the agreement!" He said firmly, his face hard as stone._

" _Actually my boy it is!" his father grinned victoriously as he took out the rolled up piece of paper and unravelled it in front of him, a large sausage like finger poking the smaller print at the bottom, "It clearly states that if asked you must participate in at least one, but no more than two tasks during the chosen event. I've been telling you for years to read the fine print Stevie, but no one ever listens to an old man."_

 _A dark glower fell over his face, "Don't call me Stevie!" he snapped and turned his back towards the pudgy man. He was irritated beyond belief, it was bad enough his father wanted him as a decoration piece to boost his status at these sickeningly extravagant events, but to parade him off? It was unthinkable._

 _He relaxed a bit when he heard the shuffling of his fathers footsteps behind him fade away back into the mix of people, but was caught off guard at the expectant look on May's face, "What? No. No I do not dance May don't even think of it!"_

 _A sudden pout came on her face, he groaned as she pulled the puppy dog eyes on him. "Pleeeaaasseee Steveeeennnnnnn, I love to dance, it's not so bad. I'll take the lead. You won't have to do a thing."_

" _No, no way am I dancing here, or ever! I do not dance." his face turned a bright scarlet and he felt a thrill of fear at the shark like grin on May's face._

" _One would almost think you wouldn't want to be close to such a pretty girl like me. What's wrong? Am I not pretty enough? Am I not good enough for the pampered prince?" She was frowning, her eyes were wet. Oh god what were the rules for upset girls?_

" _It's not that, it's just...I'm not a puppet for my father to toy with!" He said indignantly, his embarrassment gone, and in its stead was a look of hot anger and outrage._

" _Of course you're not, and I'm not asking you too. I have an idea that might get that fine print removed." She said smiling, he looked at her in surprise; oh he'd listen to her she was a master at dodging and dealing with his father._

" _Do tell…" He said smiling down at her, noticing at once just how beautiful she looked, how thin she was yet so headstrong. Even in the mismatched outfit she was something, at least her hair usually thrown together so sloppily was down in waves, curled about her shoulders._

" _I think it's better if you're not in on it before shit hits the fan. Got to give you plausible deniability with your father after all." She smiled and got up, he watched in both dread and awe as she walked towards the DJ. Twisting in his seat he saw his Father conversing with the local pokemon professors and his counterparts from different regions. Suddenly a burst of loud techno music burst from the speakers that had once been flowing out a slow love song from the old days. People were covering their ears and shouting angrilly, but May grabbed his hand while others fled the room. He let himself be pulled away from the safety of the back table nearest the doors and exit window and led onto the dance floor. He grinned down at her as he copied her dance to sync with her._

 _He was clumsy at first but she had kept it simple and it only took a few minutes for him to have it down perfect. He was surprised to find he quite enjoyed it, although that could be because of the brief glimpses he got of his fathers' outraged and shocked face. Most of the time he was smiling down at May, breathless and moving in time with her about the floor until finally the song ended. There were a few applause from the guests that were left but mostly the room was empty, and his father was standing next to what looked to be the home-owners wearing identical looks of displeasure and disdain. He smiled proudly over at his father, who sighed and shook his head in defeat._

 _May leaned over and whispered in his ear, "I think your Dad thinks i'm a bad influence on you." She grinned mischeviously a twinkle in her eyes that lit a fire in him._

" _Yeah we should probably get you out of here before he thinks twice about how amazing you are. He's been pushing me to get together with you." He said, he was breathless both from exertion and excitement. Who knew dancing could be so much fun? There was a certain danger to being so brass in a crowd of uptight snotty rich folk. He could still see one of the Mayor's daughters looking up at him shocked, a nervous smile on her face. He was never known to do anything like that, and he expected for that reason alone that no one threw him out or even said anything directly to him._

 _He grabbed May's hand and pulled her quickly towards the door, hoping his father was too busy smoothing over the incident with the hosts to bother trying to stop them. "Don't make eye contact." He whispered to May as they passed quickly, he grimaced when he heard his father called out, "Steven I am very disappointed in you!"_

 _He simply grinned and waved, calling out behind him, "Maybe don't ask me to dance next time." The bitterness inside of him easily calling out for him, not giving one shit about the others around him or saving face in front of the public. With that they escaped out the door into the cool night air, May grinned and jumped into the white limo. He slid in next to her and called out, "Floor it Baxter!"_

" _Yes sir, Mister Stone, where to?" His driver called back, the extravagant vehicle turning on smoothly._

" _Oh let me!" May leaned forward and whispered directions in the drivers ears as she leaned over the open partition, he smiled and uncorked a bottle of champagne and poured it into large glasses._

" _Here. A celebration, for my last night alive." Steven said smiling, holding a glass out to her._

 _She rolled her eyes, "Don't worry he can't be that mad. After all he told you to dance he never specified how and to what. If it all goes wrong we'll go into hiding." She grinned_

" _Oh so you'll go with me huh?" He raised an eyebrow, "Won't that look a bit suspicious?"_

" _Who cares? It doesn't matter if they know we disappeared, so long as they never find us." She took a long swallow from the glass, his eyebrows went even higher, he couldn't believe at her age she was able to stomach that so easily._

" _Yeah until we have to come out for food and alcohol." He was eyeing her glass as it was already half gone in mere seconds._

" _Don't worry Brendan will keep us stocked up. Everytime I beat him he'd go get drunk at a bar and I'd go after him with good intentions, you know take him back home, clean him up. But somehow we'd end up in a drinking contest which I'd always win. Which enraged him more trust me." She took another long sip and poured more of the alcohol into her glass._

 _He snorted, "That boy is too focused on you. He's into you y'know."_

 _She laughed, "Who Brendan? Please. I'm just his neighbor." her face was slowly turning red, though from the alcohol or embarrassment he couldn't tell._

" _Trust me, he's into you, it's obvious when he looks at you." Steven said quietly, looking out the window. He knew that May would end up with Brendan, I mean why wouldn't she? He was her age, they were neighbors, they did everything together. He frowned and looked over at her, Brendan was a good kid but his priorities weren't right. He was too hell bent on power and doing what he wanted; Brendan could never accept a woman who was stronger and better than him at anything._

 _She was looking at him as if he was being ridiculous, "Oh well, it's too bad for him. He isn't my type. I like older, more mature good looking men." She winked at him and he nearly choked on his champagne, coughing as it went up his nose burning and causing his eyes to water. She was patting his back and chuckling._

" _You men are so easy." She grinned and opened the moon roof shouting at the pedestrians on the sidewalk, "Steven Stone is Single and ready to Mingle ladies! Come get it while he's still hot!"_

 _His eyes widened in mortification. Was she already drunk? He pulled her down onto the seat and glared at her, "What are you doing?!"_

" _Gettin' you a date, can't you tell? Hm, someone gorgeous and somewhat smart, someone not so demanding or picky, or clingy." She listed off as if she was making up a dating profile for him. He groaned._

" _Oh please do not get together with my Dad about this. That's all I need, you two putting your heads together and playing match maker. I do not do blind dates!" He pulled her close to him, "Where are we going?"_

" _We're almost there, don't ruin the surprise." She grinned, she reeked of alcohol and he took the bottle away from her as she reached for it once more. "I call it the high spot." She continued after a few moments as the car slowed down and finally stopped. He followed her out of the car, he kept a hand on her arm, although she obviously could walk just fine. So not drunk, just crazy._

 _As they reached the edge of the cliff his mouth dropped open, eyes widened and his breath left him. They were high up on a dirt path, so far over the city you could see every building for miles. The light hitting the dark night sky making it seem like the stars were burning in the ground as the sky reached down for them. It was a stunning view, and he looked over at her in amazement._

" _I used to come here when I got too stressed, it's pretty isn't it?" She shivered in the cool night air, he slipped his jacket over her and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, "You know you don't have to worry about your Dad or Brendan, I'll always be at your side."_

He smiled at the memory, forcing himself to look away from the sleeping beauty in his bed. He remembered the feeling and taste of carefree exhilirating freedom that only she could evoke in him. It wasn't often someone had such a drunkening effect on him, he didn't know how it became such with May. It had started off like it always did with the young trainers he mentored, but somewhere along the line it became something much more. She made him laugh, made him relax and take more time to talk and be in the present instead of always rushing to the next thing. She always picked on him for being too busy, too focused and uptight; it was why she had such an issue with his closet: too many of the same suits, he smiled maybe he'd come home to new suits.

He swung himself off the bed in one silent motion, stretching his arms and legs as he stood in front of the window. He felt a ball of dread settle in his chest as he got dressed and made his way to the kitchen. It was all good and well to think and plan this but another thing to actually do it. To walk away from the best thing in his life, even if it was for the best; to save what they had before they destroyed it with their pain. He numbly grabbed a notepad, pen and made himself a cup of coffee and sat tapping the table quietly. He chewed his lip not knowing how to start the letter that could end everything they had and most certainly meant an unknowable time apart that would indeed lead to nothing but heartache. He sighed, running his hand through his silver hair. He could feel the tension of stress in the middle of his forehead, the only thing in his minds eye however was May.

He groaned as he pictured her reading the letter he was about to write, she would cry, be utterly devestated. How could he do that to her? Could he hurt her in order to save both of them? Why was this so hard now when before it had been so easy to make split second decisions to save people? He had only had to think for seconds during the meteor crisis but now he did't want to make the decision at all. It was frustrating and disheartening but he had to get on with it before she woke up. He knew he could never look into her eyes and tell her the truth, but it had to be told.

Finally he put pen to paper and told her the truth and nothing but the truth. It felt like he was carving it into his heart with every stroke of the pen. By the time he reached the end he was breathless and tears were in his eyes. He was about to leave her, about to take the last look at her he'd have for a long time. Who knew what he'd find when he came back. Would she still be here? It was a very real and strong fear of his, almost mind-numbing, paralyzing and yet he set a pokeball down next to the letter and walked to his bedroom to get his one last glance. She had tossed the blankets off her, her perfect naked body so at peace and beautiful glowed up at him. He swallowed, his face reddening as he felt a stirring below the belt. God he could make love to her every day, if only he stayed. He didn't dare touch her though, as much as he wanted to feel her silky skin under his hands he couldn't risk waking her. He memorized her some more until she was seared into his minds eye before turning away.

The walk to the door seemed to take forever, and it was with a heavy heart that he called Skarmory to him and mounted his steel bird with one last look back at his home he leaned forward, "Okay girl, it's time to make things right. Let's go."

* * *

She smiled as she woke up, she was warm and safe. For once she had slept without nightmares, but that was nothing compared to what she had shared with Steven the night before. She hoped it was the first of many nights together, it had been perfect and more than she ever dreamed it could be. She had felt everything in her life had been building up to that moment, that one moment of perfection and bliss. She had wanted to be with Steven in every way for so long she couldn't believe it actually happened. A happy sigh escaped her as she remembered what he felt like on top of her, inside of her, his hands all over her. She bit her lip and reached out behind her frowning when she felt empty space where she had expected to find a hard lean body.

She turned over quickly finding nothing but bed sheets and blankets thrown aside, sitting up she rubbed her eyes and stretched. He was probably making breakfast, she stepped out of bed and searched the room for her clothes, in the mess she couldn't find them. Instead she grabbed one of his under shirts, it easily hung down to her mid-thighs. She stepped out of the room, "Steven?" She called out looking through the empty house. Had he gone out so early? Steven had always been an early bird, always wanting to be on his feet and going, he hated having to sleep; she knew he considered it a waste of time and had always talked about creating away to emulate REM sleep in minutes to fool your brain into thinking you had actually slept eight hours with no ill effects.

She poured herself a cup of coffee adding her favorite flavored creamer, Steven always kept it in his fridge for her. It was only when she entered the living room completely and sat down did she notice the envelope with her name on it. She tore it open and unfolded the paper, it had Steven's handwriting all over it.

 _May,_

 _I am not one to be open or share my feelings, the touchy feely stuff doesn't come natural to me but the truth is the only thing that could possibly free us both. This letter, while full of honesty, will not be kind; I do this in love because I do love you and I want us to be okay eventually but we both know if we keep going the way we are everything between us will be destroyed. Things have to be said, have to be acknowledged and changed; there can be no future without change, without honesty even if it hurts too much. Even if you end up hating me, in the end it's the right thing to do._

 _For years I have kept everything under control, have pushed aside my own views and feelings for what I thought was the Greater Good. Have done things I never wanted to, have talked to people I thought were disgusting human beings, have played the part everyone expected me to. I can't anymore, I can't pretend to be someone I'm not anymore. I can't pretend to play some arrogant play boy, the son of a rich man, or dutiful son wanting to take over my fathers business, or responsible Pokemon League Champion who wanted nothing more than to reach that point. Because the truth is I never did. I never wanted to be Champion, I more stumbled into it as the only escape I could see to escape my father's plans for me. I didn't think about the consequences and responsibilities of being champion. The pressure and constant attention, my entire life under a microscope broadcasted to the region. Every step I took recorded and traced. Followed around by so many. I can't do that. Social contact for me is like fire; you can hold your hand over it for so long before it begins to burn painfully._

 _It ate away at me until there was nothing left of me but the base of my person, and still I had to keep going, still I tried to deal with every crisis that came up as everyone turned to me. Then you came along, and I saw you training your pokemon. You would be strong one day and after we talked a few times I realized what you wanted the most. Power, you were after power. You wanted the power so no one would mess with you, to be stronger than anyone else could ever hope of being. And I knew if I stepped in soon enough that power could be used for good, instead of letting you fall into the trap of power for evils sake. I also saw my escape. There was hope for me yet, if you could get strong, overcome everything that was against you you could become champion, you could deal with it all. And finally I'd be free._

 _It was easy for me to pass off responsibility to you, you made it easy. Even when no one pushed you towards fighting Team Magma you still ran after them, almost blatantly giving me permission to send you into the depths of the Cave of Origin, or after them in the underwater cavern. I knew you were stronger than Maxxie, and I knew you'd be the one to set me free. And you defeated Team Magma again and again, and finally for good. I was so proud and happy, and when more things arose I called you in, I knew you could handle it, even if you were just a child. Never did I think what effect it was having on you, how you felt or thought of it all. I kept away from going anywhere near that too afraid my perfect plan would not work. It was already a mess when I realized I was falling for you._

 _I never meant to fall in love with you May, I never wanted that. I never wanted to be tied down to anything. I like to travel, to wander and explore, we both know a sedentary life is not for me, I can't imagine leaving home for the same building only to travel back to the same house every night for the rest of my life. That's more of a prison than the one Maxxie is in now. Things did go terribly wrong for me that day outside the Cave of Origin when I could no longer lie to myself, pretend that I wasn't in love with you. I know how upset you were, not only at me but at Wallace as well._

 _Wallace was right to step in though, he knew me better than anyone else did, he saw exactly what was going on and he was trying to save you from me. From my plan to imprison you to set myself free. We used to fight over it all the time, he truly cared for you May never forget that; I've never seen him so overprotective in my entire life. But I was in love with you, and than you started coming around me more often, we spent so much time together, and finally I couldn't help but think of what I must have been putting you through all these years, what you must be feeling, how frayed and tight-strung you must be. There were moments even before Victory Road and the League Challenge that I saw little slivers of you on the brink of snapping. I knew I had led you to that point, had worn you down over the years and made you into this fractured person just to save myself. You have no idea the shame and guilt I feel now, looking upon your face everyday, seeing what has become of you. How you've changed because of how I shaped you._

 _I feel more guilt with you than I do with Wallace because if I'm being honest I knew the consequences of what I was doing to you, I was trapping you in my own personal hell, but I didn't know I was sending Wallace to his death. The first couple days after his death was like hell, but I have to admit it was sort of nice for me to not have to think about how I felt or actually feel it. I pushed everything aside to make sure you were okay, to be there for you. You had already been balancing on an unstable thin layer of ice and I knew that Wallace's death could possibly be the breaking point, where I could lose you forever. It's ironic though, I was no longer afraid to lose you because I'd lose my way out, no I was afraid to lose you cause you were everything to me. It didn't seem like we'd make it past those first few days and we almost didn't. Finally the disfunction inside of you came to the surface, you began to be unreasonable, irrational, angry all the time. You misconstrued everything and twisted it until it was a wrong someone did to you, and since I was the one around you must it was usually me._

 _You were violent and rash, your emotions teetered back and forth wildly and unpredictably. It was all too much but I tried to be there for you because I knew it was my fault, I was just trying to repair the damage I had done. I couldn't bare to see you in so much pain, and to know I caused it killed me. The guilt built on top of the grief, the anger and fear. And yet you wore me down May, every time I tried you'd come at me viciously, no matter what. I'm so worn down it's like I'm fading away now._

 _Do you know what happens when you try to save someone who is drowning? They try to push you under to save themselves. It seems like that's all we do lately, we pull each other down, push each other under the water to save ourselves. In the end it'll just kill us both, we'll be too far gone to be saved, or to be happy. But we still pick at each other, still fight and wear each other down. As much as we love each other we destroy one another. Our problems are too many, too strong for us to not get burned, it will destroy any chance we have together. I don't want that to happen, I have never loved someone as I do you, that's how I know you're the one. I never believed that you only get one great love in your life, but living all these years I didn't know how life actually felt until you came along. It was like I was experiencing life through muted colors, through muffled walls. Everything was much stronger and vivid, more real and in your face when you came along. And I knew you were the one, the only one._

 _You may not agree, but I see it as clear as day. If I keep letting this relationship get torn to shreds, there will be nothing left for me. No more great love, you are it for me May. I need to protect it at all costs, like you would an endangered pokemon. And right now the thing hurting it the most is ourselves. I've known this for a while now but I couldn't figure out what to do, it was only after our talk the other day that I realized what had to be done. You'll undoubtedly hate me for it, and maybe you are right to. I make you into this fractured person, make a mess, and then cut and run because it's easier for me. If you choose to see it that way I guess it wouldn't be an inappropriate interpretation, but for me it's the only way to save what could be and to save us._

 _It's time for us to learn how to be people May, how to stand on our own feet and figure out how we're going to get through life and move past the terrible things that have happened. To heal, something we can't seem to do together. Perhaps because were reminders to each other of everything bad that has ever happened, of all the things that have ever gone wrong. The only way I can see for us to not only save ourselves but any chance of being happy together is to be away from each other and heal. Get help, and in my case gain forgiveness and redemption, find a purpose and solace._

 _I know you can do this too May, I know you wanted to try to do so together, but you are so dependant on me I don't think it's healthy. I don't mind you coming to me for protection, love or comfort, but when you can't calm yourself down without me, I fear I am becoming like a drug. What happens if I'm not around when you collapse? Will you stay on the ground forever? You have to find a way to survive without me and get some help. I will leave a list of names, but if you're too angry to accept them and continue down this path that is up to you, I just implore you to think of where you will end up as honestly as you can. Look past your heart to the truth, for your heart can be deceived._

 _I'm going to be leaving for a while to start my own journey to heal and for redemption. I don't know when I'll be back. I know this may seem cruel after what we shared last night, but that never should have happened. Not because I do not love you, but because I always imagined our first time together something more romantic and filled with love. I had wanted to take you out to dinner and shower you with roses and romance. To treat you like a queen and be gentle and patient with you, to make you feel everything good in the world. Instead I used you for my own comfort like I've been doing for years, and that is reprehensible. I am so sorry May, it shouldn't have happened like that. I keep hurting you, and until I can stop I will not be around. I will return when I can promise you won't suffer at my hands anymore. I hope you can understand._

 _All my love is with you,_

 _Steven_

 _P.S. If you need me I left a Beldum for you to cling to, please treat it like one of your own._

She stared at the letter without comprehension for a few minutes, her heart seeming to pick up speed the more she thought of the contents of the paper in her hands. Her mind couldn't grasp the concept of his departure, he was here one minute gone the next. She felt her hands begin to tremble and she threw the letter away from her as if it had burned her. She was trying to ignore everything flowing through her, not even wanting to acknowledge all the emotions jumbled inside her chest. She was hoping to achieve a comfortable numbness but the panic inside of her was clawing its way through her best defenses. She found it hard to breathe as if a tight rubberband was around her chest and ribs. All she could hear was a strange roaring in her ears and buzzing in her head, feeling slightly dizzy. She knew she was going into shock but couldn't seem to snap herself out of it. She forced herself off the chair and to her feet, swaying dangerously. How could this happen? Why hadn't he said anything? How could he just leave without talking to her?

She looked at the letter feeling her heart split in two, it left no room for a response, for her to express her own thoughts and feelings. But of course he wouldn't care he was going to do it either way so why would he stick around? She felt a bitter resentment grow in her stomach, glad for once that she was empty of tears. She walked around the house not really seeing it, lost in her own feelings and thoughts, what would she do now? Her entire life had been centered around Steven, as pathetic as that had sounded she had wanted nothing more from her life than to be with him. To be his love and happiness and to settle down with him, that had been her goal for quite a while. It's why every time he did something insensitive it cut so deeply.

This was beyond anything she expected from him, it was cowardly and pathetic. To be so close to someone the night before, to be the center of his attention and feeling so loved by him to this cold goodbye. Like she had meant nothing to him, as if it was so easy for him. She knew it must have been, she would have never done this to him not in a million years but he had. It was so easy cause she didn't mean that much to him, how else could you possibly leave such a letter after everything they had gone through together? It was condescending, patronizing, and disgusting. She hated it. She could feel the burning in her chest as the anger rose in her but there was no one to turn to with it. She wanted to rip something to shreds and so she tore at the letter until it was in a hundred little pieces on the floor.

Even destroying the thing that hurt her didn't alleviate any of the emotions, it just made the tears finally come. She felt a gaping hole in her chest, as if her heart had been torn out. An emptiness where only moments before there had been a carefree hopeful happiness that everything might work out okay, but no he had to destroy that. As if everything else hadn't been destroyed for her the last few weeks. Her mind was spinning still the one thought screaming at her was what was she going to do? She had to find Steven, even if it wasn't to convince him to come back he should listen to her, it was only right, after all she had been forced to listen to him.

She grabbed her pokenav and found the communications tab they had used during the meteor crisis, she waited impatiently only for it to cut out every time she tried. He refused to pick up so she dialed the only other person she could think of that might know where he is or how to get a hold of him, thankfully the Elder Stone picked up.

"May! How're you my dear?" The president of Devon corporation said with a smile in his voice

"Could be better sir, do you happen to know where Steven is?" She asked nervously a small tremor in her voice, she could hear the tired sigh on the other end

"Let me guess he left you a letter saying he had to find himself?" The man said his tone one of tired exasperation.

"No, something along the lines of redemption." she spoke as if through a haze.

"Ah my dear, now that's something new. My son often runs when things get too hard, it's something he has done since a child, once his mother died he left home to become a trainer, it was his way of getting away from it, and unfortunately he's been running ever since. I haven't heard from him, and no I don't know where he's at. He doesn't often talk to me about his plans, though I am not surprised he has done this."

She fell silent, feeling her hope withering, "What am I supposed to do now? I can't believe he just up and left me."

"I'm sorry my dear. I've seen this happen so many times. You are not the first young lady to call me, but I'd advise you not to wait around for him. I have no doubt he shall return, but perhaps you should find away to improve your life, find a purpose before he returns."

"Okay, thanks." She said numbly before hanging up, she knew he was right, she could barely think through the entire situation but how long would he be gone a few weeks? Months? Years? How long was she supposed to wait for him? Who did he think he was? Just because he was some rich boy he thought he was a god among men and she'd wait for him like some lost puppy dog? She could feel her blood boil at his condescending arrogance.

She growled, no she wouldn't wait for him. When he came back he'd never be able to reach her.


End file.
